Lecture Archive: Sandy Trautwein

We are currently updating our media player. Please check back later for this content.

Posted: December 2, 2013

Lecture date: November 20, 2013.

Coral crabs depend on their host colonies for food and protection. Learn how new species are discovered and how these tiny crabs can protect coral reefs from predators like the crown of thorns sea stars and maintain coral diversity.

Sandy Trautwein, Aquarium of the Pacific curator of fishes and invertebrates, received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, for her research on coral crabs. She discovered four new coral crab species during her field work in the Indo-West Pacific. She also discovered that these brightly colored crabs defend their territories from members of their own species, but not from different species, leading to a possible new mechanism for maintaining coral crab species diversity.

Video Posted: December 2, 2013 | Running time: 00:47

Please note: If you are having troubles viewing this video, please update to the latest version of your browser.