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Shore Crab
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Taken at Ardmore Point on 10th June 2016 using Panasonic Lumix LX5 in macro mode.
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| Shore Crab. |
| Species: Order: Family: Local names: |
Carcinus maenas. Decapoda. Portunidae. |
| Habitat: Food: Description: Feature: |
It is native
to the north-east Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea, but has
colonised similar habitats in Australia, South Africa, South
America and both Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North
America. Molluscs, worms and small crustaceans. Grows to a carapace of 90 mm. The carapace has five short teeth along the rim behind each eye, and three undulations between the eyes. Females can produce up to 185,000 eggs, and larvae develop offshore in several stages before their final moult to juvenile crabs in the intertidal zone.Young crabs live among seaweeds and seagrasses until they reach adulthood. |