General Description

Body granulate, mottled with variable patterns of red, brown, purple and yellow. The sides of the carapace are curved and without teeth. Up to 4 cm wide (carapace).

Biology

Purple-mottled Shore Crabs are very active and race for shelter when disturbed. Because they can survive for several hours out of water, they are able to live above the low-tide level on rocky shores. Shore crabs are scavengers, using their claws to tear apart dead fishes and rotting seaweed. Purple-mottled Shore Crabs can breed (hybridise) with a closely-related shore crab species.

Distribution

South-eastern Australia.

Habitat

Under rocks at mid to high intertidal levels.

More Information