Now I have seen my fair share of utterly fabulous hermit crab shells, but this specific fashion choice takes the cake. We are talking along the lines of the Jimmy Choos of shells here. (Something I am sure the shoe savvy fashionista herself, Dr. Bik would greatly appreciate.)

Aquarists at the New Zealand Marine Studies Center and Aquarium in Portebello teamed up with University of Otago scientific glass blower Anne Ryan to create Cinderella-like glass slipper shells for some of the hermit crabs on exhibit.

Not only was this a most excellent fusion of art and the sea, but how cool is it that you can see the soft, naked mushy hermit crab abdomens?! Aquarists are hoping to give the general public a “behind the shell” look at the inner crabby workings usually concealed by their less translucent counterparts.

Though the crab shells were the first of their kind to come out of Otago’s glass blowing division, Ryan and her team further support the university with their glass blowing expertise by creating all sorts of custom made scientific glassware . (Um….can we talk about how my school can get a scientific glass blowing department?)

I can only imagine the challenge of making these little glass shells though, cause just like with that Cinderella girl, for the hermit crabs….only the right fit wins.