cool-critters: Candy crab (Hoplophrys oatesi) The candy crab is…

Sunday, February 11th, 2018

cool-critters:

Candy crab (Hoplophrys oatesi)

The candy crab is a very colourful crab that grows from 1.5 to 2 cm. It lives on various species of soft coral in the Dendronephthya genus. It camouflages itself by mimicing the colours of the polyps among which it hides. It adds further camouflage by attaching polyps to its carapace. Colours vary depending on the colour of the coral, and may be white, pink, yellow or red. This crab is widespread in the Indo-Pacific and it feeds on plankton. photo credits: digimuse, Brian Maye, divemecressi

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