Striped Shore Crab

(Pachygrapsus crassipes)

These crabs spend about half of their time in the water and half on land.

 

We were walking along the beach at La Jolla Shores one evening just at dark
when we noticed a little tiny crab walking along... see him?
© 2002 John H. Moore

 

Here's what he looked like from a closer view.
© 2002 John H. Moore

 

And here he is rinsed off.
© 2002 John H. Moore

 

© 2002 John H. Moore

 

They also like to hide in holes in/near tidepools:

© 2002 John H. Moore

 

© 2002 John H. Moore

 

© 2002 John H. Moore

 

© 2002 John H. Moore

 

© 2002 John H. Moore

 

Here's one eating a bee:

 

Scripps Institution of Oceanography recently had some of these crabs in their aquarium;
the following shots were taken in a lab.

Color variations.
© 2002 John H. Moore

 

An egg-bearing female.
© 2002 John H. Moore

 

A juvenile.
© 2002 John H. Moore

 

© 2002 John H. Moore