PRODUCTIONS: CLOSE FRIENDS

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D. Cini, M. Visalberghi, M. felli, A. D'Onofrio

SD Cinematografica

13'

HD

A strong relationship binds the hermit crab to the sea anemone. It is what zoologists call mutual symbiosis. The crab trasports the sea anemone here and there, offering it its left-over food in return for the anemone's service of scaring predators away with its poisonous stings. The documentary analyses in detail the complicated behavior that has developed around this friendship. For example, there is the message sent by prolonged caresses which the hermit crab uses to convince the sea anemone to detach itself from the rock and move onto the crab's shell. The hermit crab shows off the numerous anemones on its shell as a means of frightening enemies and confirming its social position. Two hermit crabs will sometimes engage in a fierce battle before giving up even one anemone. Each time the crab decides to move into a lerger shell, he must begin the laborious task of transferring all its anemones from one shell to the other. This operation lasts for several hours.