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Thursday, September 18, 2014

See Natural Art on a Tropical Australian Beach

Who is making art on this remote beach at Cape Tribulation?





These dots of sand are reminiscent of Aboriginal dot art, but these artists are crustaceans.

Sand dabbler crabs (Dotilla sp) feed by filtering microscopic organic matter out of the sand. As they feed they roll a scoop of sand into a ball and deposit it outside of their hole.

The arrangement of sand balls, wet and dry, near and far, creates an image that is unique and plastic. What you see, depends on your point of view.

Visit each week to see a new The Earth Minute.

See the monitor lizard just beyond this beach.

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