Shore Crab - Hemigrapsus oregonensis

This small crab (up to 5cm carapace) lives in large numbers on intertidal mudflats and rocky shores. It is often grey, green or yellow with small... more

by Zephyr Polk

Title

Shore Crab - Hemigrapsus oregonensis

Artist

Zephyr Polk

Medium

Drawing - Archival Ink On Paper

Description

This small crab (up to 5cm carapace) lives in large numbers on intertidal mudflats and rocky shores. It is often grey, green or yellow with small dark spots, but can also be red or brown with green spots. Its claws are more lightly coloured. It can be distinguished from the very similar Hemigrapsus nudus by the tiny hairs on its legs. It eats algae, diatoms, and detritus. Males have a sharp V-shaped abdomen, while females’ abdomens are broad for carrying eggs.

Uploaded

September 9th, 2018