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NEFSC Photo Gallery

Arthropods: Crabs

Crabs are arthropods, which are invertebrates with a segmented body, jointed appendages and an exoskeleton. The crabs in this gallery are too numerous to list, but include everything from our trusted beach friend the hermit crab to creatures with names like "broadback sumo crab" and "mottled purse crab." Click on the image to enlarge/launch slide show, or use the "download" link to get the largest version of the image.

Acadian hermit crab (Pagurus acadianus) is immediately recognizable from the broad longitudinal red bands on its claws.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) caught during the 2009 monkfish survey cruise.
Credit: Anne Richards, NEFSC/NOAA
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Spiny deep-sea king crab of the genus Neolithodes.
Credit: Mike Vecchione, NMFS/NOAA
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Speckled lady crab (Ovalipes ocellatus) juvenile caught in the bongo net during an inshore southern plankton tow.
Credit: Jerry Prezioso, NEFSC/NOAA
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Northern stone crab (Lithodes maja).
Credit: NEFSC/NOAA
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Northern stone crab (Lithodes maja).
Credit: Heidi Marotta, NEFSC/NOAA
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Female red crab (Chaeceon quinquedens) with eggs.
Credit: Anne Richards, NEFSC/NOAA
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Red crab (Chaeceon quinquedens).
Credit: Anne Richards, NEFSC/NOAA
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Red crabs (Chaeceon quinquedens).
Credit: NEFSC/NOAA
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Bathyal swimming crab (Bathynectes longispina) occurs on the outer continental shelf, continental slope, and seamounts along the Atlantic coasts of the U.S. and Europe, in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Bearded carrier crab (Homola barbata) is found on sandy, muddy, and shelly bottoms on the outer continental shelf and slope on both sides of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Swimming crab (Portunus species) belongs to one of several species of swimming crabs, common on the northeast continental shelf and in estuaries.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Tufted broadfaced crab (Frevillia hirsuta), a deepwater mud crab, creates burrows in muddy or clay bottoms and is often associated with the burrows of tilefish.
Credit: NEFSC/NOAA
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Spinous elbow crab (Platyambrus pourtalesii), found on muddy, sandy, shelly, and gravelly bottoms on the continental shelf, is remarkable for its triangular body and relatively small legs and enormous claws.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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A snow crab (Chionoecetes opili) on top of shrimp (mostly Dichelopandalus leptocerus) during the summer's annual Gulf of Maine shrimp survey conducted by the R/V Gloria Michelle.
Credit: Heidi Marotta, NEFSC/NOAA
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Stilt crab (Palicus species) lives in muddy continental slope habitats.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Striped porcelain crab.
Credit: NEFSC/NOAA
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Broadback sumo crab (Ethusa microphthalma), a peculiar, burly crab from the outer continental shelf and upper slope, has tiny eyes. The first two pairs of legs are very strong; the last two pairs are small and held above the body.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Broadback sumo crab (Ethusa microphthalma) juvenile -- A miniature version of the adult.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Daddy longlegs crab (Latreillia manningi) has a long 'neck,' long eyestalks, and exceptionally long legs. It is moderately common on the outer continental shelf and upper slope of the western Atlantic Ocean.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Deep sea red crab (Chaceon quinquidens), Commercially fished with traps, is very numerous on the continental slope at depths between 200 and 1800 meters from the Gulf of Maine to the Gulf of Mexico.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Fivespine purse crab (Myropsis quinquespinosa) -- This peach-colored crab is found on the continental slope from Massachusetts to Brazil.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Gladiator box crab (Acanthocarpus alexandri) is common on the outer continental shelf. Remarkable for the large spines on the 'wrists' of its claws.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Inflated spiny crab (Rochinia crassa) can have a leg-span of 120 cm (4 ft) and occurs from Massachusetts to South America on sandy and muddy bottoms of the continental slope.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Jonah crab (Cancer borealis), along with its cousin Cancer irroratus, is the most abundant and widespread type of large crab on the continental shelf.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Minute hermit crab (Catapagurus species). Two species of tiny hermit crabs (C. sharreri and C. gracilis) occur in large numbers on sandy bottoms on the outer shelf, often together, and are difficult to distinguish.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Mottled purse crab (Persephona mediterranea) buries itself in sandy or muddy sediments on continental shelves from New Jersey to Uruguay.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Porcupine crab (Neolithodes species), very prickly relative of the Alaska king crab, is found in small numbers on the continental slope throughout the northeast.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Raker crab (Euprognatha rastellifera) is a tiny crab found in large numbers on the outer continental shelf.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Red brocade hermit crab (Dardanus insignus) is a rare southern visitor from the southeastern U.S. This specimen has been removed from its snail shell to reveal the entire body of the crab.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Robust crab (Collodes robustus), a little spider crab, lives on the outer continental shelf and upper slope, typically plasters its body with mud and debris for camouflage.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Arctic lyre crab (Hyas coarctaticus), also called the contracted crab, has a circumpolar distribution and lives on sandy and gravel on continental shelves and slopes. This small specimen (missing claws) has a sponge covering its back.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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False squareback crab (Chacellus filiformis), a large burrowing mud crab, is frequently associated with tilefish burrows. It has hairy patches on its claws, caked with mud in this specimen.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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Smooth hermit crab (Pagurus politus) is found on the outer continental shelf and slope from Massachusetts to Florida. In deep water it may be associated with Anthozoans (anemones) rather than snail shells.
Credit: Vince Guida, NEFSC/NOAA
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