The crabs mistake the plastic substance for food in the water
Oleamide had previously been identified as a major constituent in the sex pheromone of cleaner shrimp – a distant relative of the hermit crab – and could be used for chemical signalling in other species, the researchers say.One, PhD candidate Paula Schirrmacher, explained: ‘Our study shows that oleamide attracts hermit crabs.
‘Respiration rate increases significantly in response to low concentrations of oleamide, and hermit crabs show a behavioural attraction comparable to their response to a feeding stimulant. ‘Oleamide also has a striking resemblance to oleic acid, a chemical released by arthropods during decomposition.’‘This research demonstrates that additive leaching may play a significant role in the attraction of marine life to plastic.’
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