That's interesting. We have also noticed that Thais haemastoma
usually drills holes near or at the digestive gland of Perna
perna both on aquarium and on the sea. I wonder why is that
so...
Maybe there is some relation...

Fabio Wiggers

 --- Yamaguchi <[log in to unmask]> escreveu:
> Dear All,
>
> Kay pointed out the same sort of question that I have been
> wondering for some time.
>
> Cowry shells are attacked by certain small octopuses in
> aquarium
> and victimized shells show very small (less than 0.5 mm dia.)
> pinholes, often more than one. As cowry shells are not
> protected
> by operculum, I wonder why drilling is necessary. One clue
> might
> be that the area where pinholes are made tended to be close to
> the tail end of the soft body when it retreat deep inside.
> Perhaps,
> the prey might first be paralyzed by injection of something
> before
> it would be extracted out of the shell.
>
> Masashi Yamaguchi
> Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus
> Okinawa, Japan
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kay Peterson" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 5:35 AM
> Subject: Re: a variety of drill holes in shells - octopod
> borings
>
>
> > Don't you think that there might be an easier way for an
> Octopus to get a
> > hermit crab out of its borrowed shell without resorting to
> drilling?
> > Drilling
> > must take some time.
> >
> > Kay
> >
>
>
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