A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Hemigrapsus sanguineus
Also known as Japanese shore crab; reaches 7-8 cm, brown striped legs with red spots on claws, with three spines on either side of carapace
This versatile crab inhabits any shallow hard-bottom intertidal or Sometimes sub tidal habitat. They can live on artificial structures and on mussel beds and oyster reefs. They also tend to aggregate at high densities under rocks where they overlap habitats with native crab species. Hemigrapsus can tolerate wide ranges of salinity and temperature as well as damp conditions in the upper intertidal regions.
Found this little bugger at Charlestown Beach, RI while breaking my flipper attempting to snorkel in the choppy sea
Spotted on Jun 22, 2011
Submitted on Jul 22, 2011
