Crustaceans

Hawaiian Blood-Spotted Swimming Crab

This crab was hard to find, and even harder to catch! Blending in perfectly with the sandy bottom that it lives on, it can get an impressive arm span of up to 18 inches! It is recognizable by the three reddish spots on its back, and the long pointy spines on the side of its shell.

Common Box Crab

This is definitely my most favorite crab I have found. when it is at rest, it closes itself up and resembles a rock and buries itself under the sand. Its shell extends beyond its body and wraps around it to cover most of its body.

Simple Collector Crab 

This crab was HARD TO FIND!  Only the size of a fingernail, and it blends in perfectly with its suroundings. Usually it clings to seaweed of the same color, and it often "collects" bits of seaweed, algea, and other matter and attaches it to its shell for additional camoflauge. Once found however, its very easy to catch, as its a very slow moving crab.

Seven Eleven Crab 

Ok, so defiantly the most beautiful crab we have found to date. We had a really hard time throwing this guy back! These crabs can  get quite large and are named for the 11 spots located on their shell. The four spots on its back are much harder to see, giving it the name 7-11 crab. (7 spots in the front, 11 overall.) There is an ancient Hawaiian story stating that a hungry god attempted to catch this crab several times, and each time was pinched and bled upon the shell of the crab, giving it its spots.

Sea Cucumber Crab

 

This awesome crab was very difficult to photograph due to its tiny size. What is so interesting about this crab is that it spends its entire life living on a sea cucumber, usually the common black sea cucumber. They can get up about the size of a dime, and sometimes are found living in the anus  or mouth of the cucumber rather then on the skin. The top picture is a juvenille living on the sea cucumber, and the second picture is an adult.

Pretty Liomera Crab 

 This pretty little crab is often beautifully colored. In fact, the species name actually means beautiful.  It is identified by the furrows and lines on its back.  It obtains a shell width of about 1 inch.

Corrugated Liomera

This Xanthid crab is absolutley stunning in person. Its very hard to show the true color by photo: Its bright, brilliant fushia with legs tipped in hot pink. I have been searching for this particular crab for three years now, and have not had any luck untill now. Its name comes from the shape of its shell, that lookes folded or wrinkled. This particular crab only obtains a maximum size of around 1-1.5 inches.

Xanthid Crabs (Unidentified)

These crabs are in the same family as the crab above. Unfortunately, The Xanthid family is quite large, and the coloring of many can be variable.  I come across many when I am out tide pooling and snorkeling, and am often unable to place a sure identity with them. As I am able to identify them, I will move them to the appropriate location. In the mean time, enjoy the pretty pictures!

Areolated Xanthid Crab 

Unfortunately I couldn't get a very clear shot of this guy. He is common here, but often overlooked due to his ability to camouflage. Whats interesting about him, is he has "furry" legs that give him a fuzzy look when he is underwater. His name is referring to the light and dark coloration on his back.T

 Teddy-Bear Crab

This adorable little crab is covered with thick hair, giving it the appearance of a teddy bear. Even more bizzar, is the fact that it carries around with it two tiny anemones to use as self defense. this relationship works well fr both partys: the anemones, otherwise imoble, now get the advantage of moving around to gather more food. The crab on the otherhand has a way of defending itself by using the stinging anemones with it at all times.

Blue-Pincered Swimming Crab

This large swimming crab is easily identifiable by the bright blue coloring on the inside of the pincers. This crab is not listed in my book, and not much can be found about it online. I will say from experience though, that its a fierce little crab, not to be toyed with.  I have only seen one of these in my time living here.

Long-Spined Swimming Crab 

This interesting little crab is less then an inch long, and blends in perfectly with the sandy bottom from witch it lives. At first I thought perhaps it was just a baby crab, but turns out it was a full grown swimming crab. I was acctually not able to find him in any of my Hawaiian marine life identification books, but did find him online, although not much information is given about him. He is reportedly common, but I'm guessing most people never see one. 

Hairy Swimming Crab 

So what is a swimming crab anyways? A swimming crab is a crab that can "swim" through the water using special modified legs that act like little paddles. You can see them perfectly in this photo. All swimming crab have them. I beleive this is a hairy swimming crab, but I'm not 100% positive. Like most species of crabs, the color and pattern can vary on each individual. Regardless of what he is, he sure is pretty! This particular specimen is missing his right claw.

Horn-eyed Ghost Crab 

This is the largest of the two ghost crabs in Hawaii. It is recognizable by the long horn-like appendages on top of its eyes. The complex eyes of these creatures allows them to see almost all the way around them at all times. These nocturnal crabs dig deep holes in the sand that can be over 4 feet long and have several entrances. The perfectly camouflaged animals retreat back into their holes in the blink of an eye if alarmed, giving them their name. Mark and I enjoy chasing after these little guys at night where there are sometimes hundreds of them all over the beach.

Pallid Ghost Crab

This is the smaller of the two ghost crabs here in Hawaii. Its a bit lighter colored then the other crab. and it lacks the horn-like appendages on its eyes. These crabs are incredibly fast, having a total of 10 legs. Interestingly enough however, the faster they run, the less of there legs they use. The begin running on all ten, but by the time they reach full speed (10 miles per hour!!) They are only using their first two pair of legs.

Thin-Shelled Rock Crab 

 

These common rock crabs here are sometimes also called "Sally Light-footed Crabs". They live on rocks out of the water and quickly run for cover in holes or in the water if approached. In the photo I am holding a newly molted specimen with its shell on the right.

Flat Rock Crab

This small crab is very common here, but hides much easier then larger rock crabs. At night you can see groups of them underwater feeding. They are quite pretty to look at, and are distinguishable by the white line going down its back. Its carapace only gets to about 1 inch in width.

Scaly Rock Crab

This fast rock crab is found usually in tide pools or splash zones, scampering about on rocks. They are incredibly quick, and difficult to catch. The name comes from the forward scale-like projections covering its back. 

Pleated Rock Crab

This small crab is often found both in and out of the water along rocky shores. The line-like marks on its back give it its name.

Blue-Eyed Rock Crab

I spent literally hours underwater attempting to catch one of these guys. These amazingly crafty dudes like to play a game of tag with you that can go on for hours until you figure out how to out smart them! They are a bit easier to catch at night however. I normally WOULD NOT spend that much time trying to capture any animal, but he was the last and final species of rock crabs that I needed to photograph...Success!

Red Porcelin Crab 

This strange looking crab is found in the intertidal zones in shallow waters. They usually live under rocks, but can move so incredibly fast, you are unlikely to even see it or catch it. I have been "hunting" this crab for over three years and have had no luck trying to catch one untill now. They are a beautiful reddish-brown color, and can get about 1-1.5 inches across.

 Jeweled Anemone Crab

This awesome little crab was found in the Waikiki boat harbor.  Was amazing about this crab, is he carries several sea anemones right on his back! This creates a symbiotic relationship between the two animals. The anemones get mobility and scraps of food, and the crab gets added protection and camouflage. I had to be extra careful when handling this hermit crab because the anemones on his back have the ability to eject very sticky stinging threads that could easily sting my hand.

Pale Anemone Crab

This anemone crab is less common then the jeweled anemone crab above. You can identify him by the cream colored body and the bright yellow-green eyes. Just like the above crab, this species also carries the same anemones on its back.

Left-Handed Hermit Crab

Ok, So definitely the prettiest hermit crab I have seen to date, with the exception of one I found in Africa. They are nocturnal and are found during low-tide scurrying about the reef flats and rock rubble in only an inch or two of water. The coloring of the crab and the shell it inhabits is simply beautiful.

Hidden Hermit Crab

This is another really pretty hermit crab common here in Hawaii. It is identifiable by the purple stripe on its legs, and the speckled body. I often find these while tide pooling, however they are usually MUCH smaller.

Hawaiian Elegant Hermit Crab 

This beautiful Hermit Crab is found in tide pools and shallow waters only in Hawaii. There is an identical crab found through out the Pacific, but the stripes are blue instead of orange. Recent DNA studies have shown that the two species are different.

Seurat's Hermit Crab

This a a very common social hermit crab mostly found on the eastern coasts of the Hawaiian islands. Here, there is heavy wave action that splashes high on the rocks and tide pools where these guys live.  Once you figure out the environment that these little crabs like, you are sure to find one every time! They are recognizable by the black and white striped legs and the enormous left claw that they use to block the entrance to their shell.

Pacific Mole Crab

 These unusual creatures are very difficult to find, even tho there is thousands of them all over the beach. These crabs are so adapted to digging, that they have lost the ability to even walk. They hide under the sand and only appear for 1-2 seconds to grab food, and only when water washes over them. To find them you have to watch very closely to the water, and as the water that's washed up onto the beach retreats back to the ocean, you have a few second window to try and see these guys re-burying themselves back into the sand. Check out the short video to see just how fast they dig. 

Ciliated Mantis Shrimp

Ok, so I seriously cant even begin to describe how incredible and strange this creature is. I have never been so amazed by a creature my entire life.  These group of shrimps  have two different categories: Smashers, and Spearers.  The front "legs" of these shrimp are modified into very deadly tools used for hunting and combat. The Smashers have club-like front legs that are capable of smashing aquarium glass, or cracking clamshells right in half with a single blow. The force behind these blows is equal to that of a 22 caliber bullet. That's right, the power of a bullet. But it doesn't stop there. The force of their blows creates thousands of tiny air bubbles that all pop at the same time creating a wave of energy and light that for a fraction of a second is equivalent to the temperature of the surface of the sun. The Spearers on the other hand, have modified appendages that are like folded serrated knives, ready to strike and shred their prey into tiny pieces. If that isn't enough to be amazed about, lets take a look at there incredible eyes.  its eyes are believed to be the most complex of any other creature in the animal kingdom, including ourselves. This is do to the fact that mantis shrimp are capable of seeing both polarized light, as well as multispectral images. They are capable of detecting colors humans cant even see. That is hard to imagine! This particular mantis shrimp is a spearer, and is probally the most common mantis shrimp here in Hawaii

Philippine Mantis Shrimp

 

This 2 inch long beauty is considered somewhat invasive in Hawaii. Accidently introduced sometime after Worldwar II, this shrimp has quickly spread around Hawaii, often  displacing the native Ciliated Mantis Shrimp (above).  Found usually in shallow water amungst coral and rubble on the ocean floor. Unlike the Ciliated Mantis shrimp above, this one uses the "smashing" method to kill its prey.

Banded Coral Shrimp 

These shy shrimp are definitely the prettiest on the reef. Most active at night, you must be very careful when handling these shrimp because at the slightest provocation they will shed there claws. don't worry tho, they will grow back the next molt.

 Marbled Shrimp

These extremly common shrimp are found in tidal zones along rocky shores and breaker walls. They are only active at night, and can be seen in huge groups, sometimes with other species of shrimp such as the Hinge-Beak Shrimps (below). This picture shows both a male and female. The mail is identifiable by the clawed limbs that often exceed its body lenght. The female is identifiable by the furry bristles found on its firs set of legs.

Hatt's Hinge-Beak Shrimp

  This shrimp is pretty common here, specially around breaker walls in Waikiki. They come out at night, and sometimes there are so many of them on one place that when you shine the flashlight in the water you can see hundred of little glowing eyes staring back at you.

Rathbun's Hinge-Beak Shrimp

This beautiful shrimp has only recently been described. It is found in shallow waters, often in the company of other shrimps. In fact I have only ever seen one of these, and it was by itself in a large group of Marbled Hunch Back Shrimp. I was only able to spot it because its eyes glow a different color in my flashlight. It is physically distinguishable from other hing-beak shrimp by the large spot on its back.

Snapping Shrimp

Snapping shrimp are very similar to mantis shrimp in that they have the ability to create a very powerful shock wave with their front appendages. There is however is a bit of a difference in the way this happens. With snapping shrimp, They have one claw that is capable of snapping shut with such force, that is creates a sound as loud as 218 decibels! to give you some idea, that's as loud as a a sonic boom created from a F-16 fighter jet flying just 100ft above your head! That is crazy loud! These amazing shrimp are only about 1-2 inches long, and usually live in colonies of over 300+ individuals. The sound created from an entire colony of these shrimp is so loud that it actually interferes with sonar and other types of underwater communication. They are considered the loudest animal on earth, and have actually been used around the world to help conceal war submarines from being detected underwater by sonar. Shallow reef flats here in Hawaii home thousands of these creatures. You can hear them at night, but they are almost never seen since they are so small and live underground and deep inside coral and rocks. I was very lucky to find and capture this guy! You will see that one claw is enormous compared to the other. The big one is the only claw used for snapping.

Minstreal Shrimp

This uncommon shrimp can only be found at night half buried in sand. it is a rather slow moving shrimp and can get about 3.5 inches in length.

Jumping Sand Shrimp 

This shrimp has a trick up its sleeve if disturbed. To escape a preditor, rather than try and bury itself or run across the bottom of the ocean like traditional shrimp, this guy swims straight upwards into the water twards the surface. Its attains a maximum length of about 2 inches.

Bumble Bee Shrimp

This common colorful shrimp is common, but hard to find. It only is 1/2 inch long and usually hides amongst coral and rocks. It gets its name from the stripes on its back. As cute as it is, its a bit of a nuisance to sea stars and urchins. It often feeds on the tube feet of theses animals, carefully snipping them off to eat. I guess it would be like having something riding on your leg pulling out your leg hairs one by one. Ouch!

Sculptured Slipper Lobster

Wow! What a cool critter! These guys take the cake when it comes to weird lobsters. Their antennae have been reduced to thin plates located on the front of its body, and it lacks any pincers or front claws. I was so excited to find him that I dropped him back into the water before I could even take a picture of him. I was very upset, because I have searching for slipper lobsters for months with no luck of finding one. Luckily after about 5 minutes of searching My friend Bea that was with me spotted him about 10 feet away from us. Turns out that not only do they camouflage unbelievably well, but they swim incredibly fast for such an odd shaped creature. There are several species of lobsters here, but most are located in deep water only accessible by scuba diving. These are a protected species here in Hawaii.