tiki Ryan Photographic - Inachidae - Decorator crabs


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Family Inachidae

There are currently 395 species of decorator crabs distributed between 64 genera. The family is widely distributed in the world's oceans. Species typically cover themselves with other organisms, often sponges or algae. By doing so they become brilliantly camouflaged and on many occasions the only way I have detected one is by its movement.

In most of the inarchids the last two pairs of walking legs have been modified with what are essentially grasping chelae. Unlike some other families in which these are used to carry sea urchins, jellyfish, or sponges, they appear to be used for holding onto their substrate in the face of fierce currents while their other legs and carapace dangle into the water flow.

As with all crustacea, they must shed their exoskeleton to grow and when they do so the organisms they carry round with them must all be replaced. The orangutan crabs, Oncinopus sp., are often found in association with bubble coral, Plerogyra.

 


Oncinopus Orangutan crab

Oncinopus Orangutan crab Raja Ampat IMG_0651

Oncinopus Orangutan crab Raja Ampat IMG_0651

Oncinopus species Orangutan crab Raja Ampat IMG_0660

Oncinopus species Orangutan crab Raja Ampat IMG_0660


Oncinopus species 2 Decorator Orangutan crab

Oncinopus species - orangutan - decorator crab, Puerto Galera, Philippines f1373914112

Oncinopus species - orangutan - decorator crab, Puerto Galera, Philippines f1373914112

Oncinopus species - orangutan - decorator crab, Puerto Galera, Philippines f1373914112

Oncinopus species - orangutan - decorator crab, Puerto Galera, Philippines f1373914112


Stenorhynchus debilis Panamic arrow crab,

Stenorhynchus debilis, Panamic arrow crab, Sea of Cortez

Stenorhynchus debilis, Panamic arrow crab, Sea of Cortez


Stenorhynchus seticornis Arrow crab

Stenorhynchus seticornis, Arrow crab, Glover's Reef,  Belize-3323

Stenorhynchus seticornis, Arrow crab, Glover's Reef, Belize-3323

Stenorhynchus seticornis Arrow crab

Stenorhynchus seticornis Arrow crab, Belize


Invertebrates

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