Brightly Colored Crab Cleans Algae From the Beach

A truly gorgeous, brightly colored Sally Lightfoot crab sat upon a Galapagos Island beach and efficiently cleaned up all the local algae and decaying organic litter from the sand while hunting for food. This particular symbiosis comes from a natural partnership that these crabs have with their environment. Their job is to rid the shores of rotting material and in return, the crab receives a nutritious meal required for survival.

...just as amazing as their appearance is the very important function that they carry out as they patrol the beaches and rocky shores looking for decaying plant and animal materials. They clean the beaches and keep the algae growth in balance. Without them, most beaches would be littered with rotting material, accompanied by very unpleasant odours.

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