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 Look
at the picture. What does it look like? At first, a strawberry may
come to your mind. However, it is not a strawberry. To our surprise,
it is a strawberry crab!
These crabs were discovered just a few years ago off the coast of southern
Taiwan. When discovered, many biologists were surprised.
This is because it was a totally new species of crab
among the about 500 species of crab ever discovered in the world.
 This unique-shaped crab is called
Hawaiian strawberry crab or red boxing crab. It has a bright red shell covered with small
white spots. The shell is the reason
why it looks like a strawberry! For some people, its shell may look
like a clam, too. However, it is
about 5 centimeters wide, which is larger than a clam.
It usually feeds on algae with its front claws
and it lives only in saltwater. If you visit the
Indo-Pacific region, including
around Hawaii or French Polynesia, you can find this
unique crab. Do you want to keep it as a pet? Unfortunately, it is
impossible! It is a rare species of crab. Therefore,
it is being protected by biologists all over the world. |
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