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Southern Kelp Crab

Taliepus nuttallii

Description:

Red crab that was found upside down so we flipped it over & took a pic. This crab recently molted making it soft and very venerable to predators. We only got one pic before a wave swept it away.... and got me all wet :) This crab has a "very rounded carapace that has lateral teeth reduced to small bumps and a smooth surface that is not decorated. They reach a maximum length of 3.6 inches for the male and 1.8 inches for the females. They vary in color from yellow-orange to dark purple, to reddish-brown." - Mexfish

Habitat:

Tidepools in La Jolla

Notes:

"They are best known for their habit of camouflaging themselves with bits of algae, sponges, bryozoans, or other animals. These attachments are also believed to provide a defensive mechanism as they change the way the crab feels, smells, and tastes to a predator, with many of the attachments being noxious. They also have the ability to molt their shells to rid themselves of unwanted attachments." - Mexfish This makes this crab Wildlife with Innovative Defenses!

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5 Comments

Ryan21
Ryan21 12 years ago

Shiny!!

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 12 years ago

S Frazier, I swear you commented but it disappeared. I laughed! I FINALLY learned that crabs are arthropods!
Emma, that explains it! It did a good job once right-side-up.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 12 years ago

these guys like to play dead.

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 12 years ago

It was definitely alive. Its legs were flailing around while on its back. We flipped it and it moved a little just before the wave.

auntnance123
auntnance123 12 years ago

Did it appear to be alive? If it was 'soft',it may have just molted.

San Diego, California, USA

Spotted on Nov 26, 2011
Submitted on Nov 26, 2011

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