Carcinisation is a bit more of an adaption to environment (convergent evolution into same-ish shape for the chance utility of it) vs niche mimicry which is in relation to another specific species.
Comment on Spidey Senses
propter_hog@hexbear.net 2 months ago
So in addition to crabification, we also have antification. Evolution really just found an energy minima at eight legs, huh?
Evil_Shrubbery@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
Ephera@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
Proper ants only have 6 legs, though. But yeah, these spiders-turned-to-ants would have 8 legs.
Well, and crabs technically have 10 legs, with their foremost pair typically equipped with pincers. 🙃
Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 2 months ago
i’m sure there’s at least one ant-mimicking spider that has turned their front legs into extra quasi-pedipalps to blend in better, getting rid of limbs is super easy in evolution (that’s where antennae and the existing pedipalps come from, and spinnerets too i presume)
fox@hexbear.net 2 months ago
It’s more that the lobster plan (long body) is really quite good in many niches, but the crab plan (wide body, no exposed tail) works better in more productive ecosystems that have more predators. So anything lobster shaped coming up from the deep mud will have to reduce its tail or get sniped by a fish
Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 2 months ago
so wait are we just walking terrestrial lobsters? and… gorillas are primate crabs maybe?