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Crabs are frequently subjected to live boiling prior to consumption. It has been commonly thought that crabs are incapable of experiencing pain because they do not possess the cerebral areas responsible for perceiving pain.
However, could this belief be misguided — or are crabs susceptible to feeling pain?
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The scientists evaluated the reactions of 20 crabs to irritating inputs, such as nudges from a plastic tool or minute quantities of vinegar administered to their eyes, antennae, and vulnerable tissue found between pincers and at articulations. Employing electrodes to gauge central nervous system responses, the scientists documented responses consistent with nociceptive reactions. This pattern did not present itself when the scientists used non-irritating substances, for instance, seawater.
Nociceptors, which are also present in humans and several other mammals, become active whenever the body is hurt or under threat of injury. They relay a message to the brain, using pain as the medium, that the body could be encountering a potential threat, permitting the animal to react appropriately.
The mere presence of nociceptors does not definitively signify that an animal is experiencing pain, according to study co-author Eleftherios Kasiouras, a biologist attached to the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Nociceptors are capable of triggering a reflexive action — such as the automatic withdrawal of a hand from a burning surface. However, humans perceive pain in the brain. Consequently, although nociceptors alone do not establish that crabs feel pain, they represent one aspect of the overall picture.
Another study strongly suggesting crabs feel pain
Kasiouras communicated with Live Science that the presence of pain receptors in crabs did not come as a shock, as past studies indicate that lobsters and crabs exhibit behavioral reactions to pain. The pairing of these behavioral reactions with the central nervous system response heightens the probability of an animal feeling pain.
One technique utilized by researchers to assess whether an animal is capable of experiencing pain involves the utilization of a checklist, which contains elements such as the existence of nociceptors, brain regions linked to pain, linkages between these receptors and brain sections, responses to anesthetics, and self-preserving actions in the face of injury or the risk of injury.
Research conducted on hermit crabs implies that these animals display self-preserving actions when harmed. As demonstrated in a 2016 study featured in the journal Behavioural Processes, hermit crabs will leave their shell to escape electrical shocks. They tend to be less willing to do this if a predator’s scent is detected, hinting at a conscious assessment between avoiding pain versus avoiding predators. This lends support to the notion of hermit crabs experiencing pain (in place of merely reflexively abandoning their shells).
The current study on shore crabs meets another criterion, thus strongly implying that crabs are able to feel pain.
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Considering the amassed proof, experts in this domain are pushing for prohibitions against boiling crabs and lobsters while they are still alive, labeling the practice as inhumane. While the U.K. has deliberated on and postponed a ban, such restrictions are already enforced in Switzerland, Norway, and New Zealand.
Scientists are extending their investigations into whether squids, clams, and mussels fulfill the benchmarks for pain awareness, yet results are ambiguous: They are found to have nociceptors, and a few express behavior that indicates avoidance of pain, but an understanding of their brains is not as complete as that of mammals.
“We, as humans, exploit animals for victuals, laboratory experimentation, along with a multitude of other uses,” Kasiouras commented. “Should they possess the capacity to feel pain… we must enact regulations prescribing the humane handling of these creatures throughout their lifespan, curtailing suffering and minimizing any discomfort they might endure.”
Olivia FerrariLive Science Contributor
Olivia Ferrari acts as a freelance journalist operating from New York City, bringing forth an expertise in the realms of investigative work and science communication. She has amassed work experience spanning the U.K., Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. Her articles primarily revolve around the themes of wildlife, ecological fairness, climate shifts, and sociological research.
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