According to the conclusion of a new scientific investigation, conducted by Australian researchers at Queen's University, hermit crabs can not only feel pain, but are also able to retain a memory of it, a trait very difficult to find in similar animals, but which is very common in most complex creatures, including mammals and humans. Professor Bob Elwood and Mirjam Appel have been the two experts in charge of the research, and details of their finds are published in the journal Animal Behavior.

The study has revealed that crabs who are exposed to pain stimuli seem to dislike it, and also that they steer clear of similar circumstances on other occasions. The find could have similar repercussions on the crustacean-food processing industry, as its methods of killing, processing and packaging these animals rely on the belief that they feel no pain. A “potentially very large problem” is ignored, Elwood said when the results of the research came out.

“There has been a long debate about whether crustaceans including crabs, prawns and lobsters feel pain. We know from previous research that they can detect harmful stimuli and withdraw from the source of the stimuli but that could be a simple reflex without the inner 'feeling' of unpleasantness that we associate with pain. This research demonstrates that it is not a simple reflex, but that crabs trade-off their need for a quality shell with the need to avoid the harmful stimulus,” Elwood added. The scientist has worked on similar research studies in the past, when he has proven that prawns actually feel pain.

“Trade-offs of this type have not been previously demonstrated in crustaceans. The results are consistent with the idea of pain being experienced by these animals. Legislation to protect crustaceans has been proposed, but it is likely to cover only scientific research. Millions of crustaceans are caught or reared in aquaculture for the food industry. There is no protection for these animals – with the possible exception of certain states in Australia – as the presumption is that they cannot experience pain. With vertebrates we are asked to err on the side of caution and I believe this is the approach to take with these crustaceans,” he concluded.