Complex interplay of biomechanics and ecology influenced crab claw morphology evolution
Russell D. C. Bicknell, Joanna M. Wolfe, John J. Flynn, Adiël A. Klompmaker, Morgan Chase, Phoebe Fu, Melanie Hopkins
This study investigates the evolution of crab claw morphology by integrating biomechanics, ecology, and phylogeny across 80 crab species, revealing that ecological and biomechanical factors drive diversity rather than phylogenetic relatedness.
bioRxiv · Jun 23, 2026 · PreprintEcology