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Comments
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| Encyclopedia of Life |
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Visit this species on the Encyclopedia of Life to find out more!
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Lifestyle
I am a crustacean. Crabs and lobsters are also crustaceans. Like them, I have a hard shell, called an exoskeleton. My exoskeleton is much thinner than their thick ones.
I live in a very close, or symbiotic, relationship with a fish called a goby. I build our home (a small hole in the sand) and we share it. I keep the burrow clean; the goby stands guard and protects the burrow so that other animals don't steal it. The goby also protects me from my predators. We both benefit from this relationship, so it is a mutualistic relationship.
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Fun Facts
I get my name from the snapping sound that I make. I have two large claws that I use to trap small bubbles of air. When I close my claws, I break the bubbles, and that is what makes the loud snapping sound. If you are diving near the sandy part of the reef, listen carefully and you will hear the bubbles popping! Scientists think I make this sound to surprise my prey and make catching them easier.
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Menu
I like to eat algae and tiny animals that live in the sea called zooplankton. I eat both plants and animals, so I'm an omnivore.
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Threats
Reefs are in danger, and that means so is my home!
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