Striped Shore Crab

Description:

The striped shore crab has a purplish black carapace with green stripes. Its carapace is square and can reach 4 to 5 cm in size. The claws are usually red with a mottled pattern on the upper surface, and white on the lower surface, while its legs are purple and green with a similar mottled appearance. These crabs are found in crevices, tidepools, and mussel beds, and sometimes on muddy shores of bays and estuaries.

Habitat:

Cabrillo National Monument The park offers a superb view of San Diegos harbor and skyline. At the highest point of the park stands the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which has been a San Diego icon since 1854. A statue and museum in the Visitor Center commemorate Juan Rodrguez Cabrillo's exploration of the coast of California. In a former army building an exhibit tells the story of the coast artillery on Point Loma. In the winter, migrating gray whales can be seen off the coast. The two-mile Bayside Trail affords spectacular views of San Diego Bay and the city beyond, and takes you through one of the last remaining remnants of coastal sage scrub habitat in the world. The rocky intertidal area is one of the best protected examples of these unique ecosystems in Southern California.