Are you a Gladiator?

Sarah Ward

Living Seas Officer 

Gladiators has made a recent comeback to our TV screens and I personally could not be more thrilled. As a child of the 90s, Saturday nights meant we all bedded in to watch the likes of Noel’s House Party, Blind Date and of course Gladiators!

The concept of Gladiators plays on our competitive human nature, with individuals striving to be the best simply for the glory of it. In the animal world, competition is rife, however most animals aren’t in it for the glory – they usually compete for limited resources such as shelters, food and mates. And usually they do it without the need for a revealing spandex ensemble.

One of my favourite examples of high stakes competition in the marine environment is that of Hermit Crabs. Shelters are an absolute necessity for these soft-bottomed creatures, who unlike other crabs, need to find a shell in order to keep themselves safe from predators. The need for a well-fitting shell will drive Hermit Crabs to instigate a fight with another individual if they take a liking to the one they have.

A fight for a shell is truly a battle of strength and stamina. The attacking crab will ‘wrap’ their claw against the defending crab’s shell and pull at its claws so as to try and force it out. Meanwhile, the defending crab will try to resist eviction.

Eventually, a victor will emerge – either the attacker will give up, leaving both crabs in their original shell, or the defending crab will vacate its shell, leaving the attacker free to move in.

Whilst the battle of the hermit crabs may not be quite as polished as Gladiators, it’s still incredibly interesting to watch. Gladiators ready!