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Robot Crab Meets Terrible Fate When Its True Nature Is Discovered by Real Crabs
Noor Al-SibaiSat, 9 August 2025 at 9:30 PM SGT2-min read
Scientists apparently underestimated the aggression of itty-bitty male fiddler crabs when they deployed a friendly robot version during mating season.
In a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, animal behavior researchers from the UK's University of Exeter detailed the embarrassing end to their experiment with "Wavy Dave," a 3D-printed, Bluetooth-controlled crab-bot trained to wave at its fellow crustaceans.
Known for having one claw that's much larger than the other, fiddler crabs not only wave their large pincers to attract mates, but actually hold diminutive competitions during their mating seasons in which females choose those whose claws are biggest — yes, seriously — and wave the fastest.