Plastic caps account for up to 85% of these artificial shells used by land hermit crab species worldwide.
Hermit crabs are using plastic waste as shells, according to a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. The researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 images of hermit crabs and identified 386 that had co-opted artificial shells as their homes. Plastic caps account for up to 85% of these artificial shells used by land hermit crab species worldwide.
Researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 images of hermit crabs and identified 386 that had co-opted artificial shells as their homes
The most common human-made material used for plastic shells was plastic caps which accounted for up to 85% of the artificial shells
Sexual selection, lighter weight and camouflage are likely factors behind why hermit crabs choose plastic shells over natural ones
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by citing a study without providing any context or information about the researchers. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the situation as 'heart-breaking' and stating that hermit crabs are living in a different era. Additionally, there is no evidence of dichotomous depiction or use of appeals to authority.
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author Tom Hale has a conflict of interest on the topic of plastic pollution as he is affiliated with the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Warsaw which conducts research on this issue.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author Tom Hale has a conflict of interest on the topic of plastic pollution as he is reporting for IFL Science which is funded by companies that produce and sell plastics.
Hermit crabs are using plastic waste as armour for their bodies
Two-thirds of hermit crab species were pictured in artificial shells - items that humans discarded
Scientists found a total of 386 individuals using artificial shells, mainly plastic caps
Accuracy
The majority of terrestrial hermit crab species worldwide have used trash as shells.
<19 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas every year
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in that it presents the use of plastic by hermit crabs as a new phenomenon when in fact they have been using discarded materials for their shells for centuries. The authors also make assumptions about the harm caused by these materials without providing any evidence to support this claim.
The conclusion is based on analysis of photos, taken by wildlife enthusiasts, and published online.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by citing the conclusion of a study without providing any evidence or reasoning for it. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the discovery as 'heartbreaking'. Additionally, there is no clear dichotomy depicted in the article.
Bias
(80%)
The article reports that hermit crabs are using plastic waste as shells instead of natural snail shells. This is a clear example of environmental degradation caused by human activities and highlights the negative impact our actions can have on wildlife.
>Two-thirds of hermit crab species were pictured in 'artificial shells' - items that humans discarded.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest with the topic of plastic waste as they mention that two-thirds of hermit crab species were pictured in artificial shells and natural snail shells are in decline. The article also mentions that red plastic bottle caps and pieces of light bulbs are used as armor for their bodies.
Natural snail shells are in decline, so she suspected it might be becoming easier for the animals to find an artificial alternative
'red plastic bottle cap on their back or piece of light bulb'
Two-thirds of hermit crab species were pictured in 'artificial shells'
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of hermit crabs wearing plastic rubbish as they are not disclosing their affiliation with any organization or group that may have an interest in this issue.
Hermit crabs may be choosing plastic homes because they make for better camouflage in a polluted environment or there may be more pieces of trash than fitting seashells available on some coasts.
Sexual selection, lighter weight and camouflage are likely factors behind why hermit crabs choose plastic shells over natural ones
Researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 images of hermit crabs and identified 386 that had co-opted artificial shells as their homes
Accuracy
The majority of terrestrial hermit crab species worldwide have used trash as shells.
, about 85 percent were using plastic caps and the remainder using metal and glass. They included individuals from 10 of the 16 species of hermit crab that live on land, and were found throughout the tropics from Africa to Central America.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that hermit crabs are using trash as shells on a global scale when there is no evidence to support this claim. The study only analyzed publicly available images of hermit crabs online and past scientific literature which may not be representative of the entire population. Secondly, the article uses sensationalism by stating that plastic is harmful to wildlife without providing any concrete evidence or statistics. Thirdly, the author quotes a 2019 study about hermit crabs crawling inside items on Cocos (Keeling) Islands but fails to mention that this was an isolated incident and not indicative of a global trend. Lastly, the article uses selective reporting by only focusing on plastic as an example of artificial shells without discussing other materials such as metal or glass.
The study analyzed publicly available images of hermit crabs online and past scientific literature.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing studies without providing any evidence or context for their findings. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that hermit crabs are choosing plastic homes because they make for better camouflage in a polluted environment or there may be more pieces of trash than fitting seashells available on some coasts. The author also uses an example of inflammatory rhetoric when describing the harmful impact of plastic on wildlife, but does not provide any evidence to support this claim.
The study analyzed publicly available images of hermit crabs online and past scientific literature.
Bias
(80%)
The article presents a clear example of environmental bias. The author uses language that depicts plastic as harmful and dangerous to hermit crabs, while also suggesting that the use of artificial shells may be beneficial for their survival in polluted environments. This creates an imbalance in the presentation of information and could potentially influence readers' perceptions about plastic waste.
Plastic can be dangerous for hermit crabs. A 2019 study found that over half a million of the islands' hermit crabs had crawled inside items such as bottles and died.
The proposed term for our present geological epoch as defined by human activity.
The study found 386 examples of hermit crabs encased in garbage instead of a seashell,
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Frances Vinall has a conflict of interest on the topic of land hermit crabs using plastic as shells. The article discusses how many species now use trash for their shells and the harmful impact this can have on wildlife.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Frances Vinall has a conflict of interest on the topic of land hermit crabs using plastic as shells. The article discusses how many species now use trash for their shells and the harmful impact this can have on wildlife.
Hermit crabs are increasingly using plastic waste as armour for their bodies amid record levels of pollution in the world's oceans.
Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.
A recent study found more than 171 trillion pieces of plastic are now estimated to be floating in the world's oceans.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in that it presents the use of plastic waste by hermit crabs as a new behavior. The authors claim that this unusual behavior is observed in all tropical regions of the Earth and has become common among ten out of sixteen species of land hermit crabs around the world. However, there are no references to any previous studies or research on this topic, suggesting that it may not be entirely accurate or reliable.
The authors claim that every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems (Shawn Miller).
The study found a total of 386 Hermit crabs using artificial shells - mainly plastic caps, but also made from broken necks of glass bottles or metal ends of light bulbs. According to the authors' calculations, ten out of sixteen species of land hermit crabs in the world use this type of shelter (Szulkin et al., 2021).
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the study published in Science of the Total Environment without providing any context or information about its methodology or reliability. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by stating that plastic waste is either used as shells for hermit crabs or not used at all, when there may be other options available to them. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric with phrases such as
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The author Jabed Ahmed has conflicts of interest on the topics of hermit crabs and plastic waste. The article mentions that Dr David Santillo is a marine biologist who studies ocean pollution and its effects on wildlife. However, it does not disclose any financial ties or personal relationships between Dr Santillo and the author.
Dr David Santillo is a marine biologist who studies ocean pollution and its effects on wildlife.
Hermit crabs are also using broken necks of glass bottles and metal ends of light bulbs as shells
Ten out of 16 species of land hermit crabs around the world have begun to use plastic as a form of armour
Accuracy
Plastic-shelled hermit crabs have become a fashion trend across the world
Researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 images of hermit crabs and identified 386 that had co-opted artificial shells as their homes
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment without providing any context or information about the credibility of the research. Additionally, there are examples of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article such as phrases like 'beyond terrifying' and 'choking our rivers and seas'. The author also uses an informal fallacy by stating that every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, without providing any evidence or citation for this claim. Finally, the article contains a dichotomous depiction of hermit crabs using artificial shells as being both harmful to their natural behavior and evolution, but there is no clear explanation or evidence provided to support these claims.
The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment without providing any context or information about the credibility of the research. For example: 'Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.'
The author uses an informal fallacy by stating that every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems without providing any evidence or citation for this claim. For example: 'Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.'
The article contains a dichotomous depiction of hermit crabs using artificial shells as being both harmful to their natural behavior and evolution. For example: 'Hermit crabs need to protect their soft abdomen. They usually do this by hiding in shells left behind by dead crustaceans. One such hiding place is not enough for a lifetime because of the crab’s development, but also because of intra-species competition.'
The author uses an informal fallacy by stating that plastic waste can significantly alter the natural behavior of animals without providing any evidence or citation. For example: 'Plastic waste can significantly alter the natural behaviour of animals.'
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement that suggests plastic waste is being used by hermit crabs as shells. This statement implies bias towards the idea of plastic pollution and its negative impact on wildlife. The author also uses language such as 'beyond terrifying' to describe the findings which may be seen as an exaggeration.
Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas
The finding that ten out of 16 species of land hermit crabs around the world have begun to use plastic as a form of armour
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of plastic waste as they mention Surfers Against Sewage (SaS) and Greenpeace International's Science Unit in their article.
