Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
Biol Lett. 2012 Aug 23;8(4):495-7. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.0085. Epub 2012 Feb 29.
A flexible body image is required by animals if they are to adapt to body changes and move effectively within a structurally complex environment. Here, we show that terrestrial hermit crabs, Coenobita rugosus, which frequently change shells, can modify walking behaviour, dependent on the shape of the shell. Hermit crabs walked along a corridor that had alternating left and right corners; if it was narrow at the corner, crabs rotated their bodies to avoid the wall, indicating an awareness of environmental obstacles. This rotation increased when a plastic plate was attached to the shell. We suggest that the shell, when extended by the plate, becomes assimilated to the hermit crab's own body. While there are cases of a tool being assimilated with the body, our result is the first example of the habitat where an animal lives and/or carries being part of a virtual body.
如果动物要适应身体变化并在结构复杂的环境中有效移动，就需要具备灵活的身体形象。在这里，我们表明，经常更换贝壳的陆生寄居蟹（Coenobita rugosus）可以根据贝壳的形状改变行走行为。寄居蟹沿着一条有左右拐角交替的走廊行走；如果拐角处狭窄，螃蟹会转动身体以避开墙壁，这表明它们意识到了环境障碍。当在贝壳上附加一块塑料板时，这种旋转会增加。我们认为，当贝壳被板延伸时，它会被寄居蟹自身的身体同化。虽然有工具与身体同化的情况，但我们的结果是第一个动物生活和/或携带的栖息地成为虚拟身体一部分的例子。
