The decorator crab, also known as the dresser crab lives northern California to Baja California. They grow to about 5 inches and eat algae, sponges, bryozoans, small crustaceans. The crabs takes small animals and seaweed and attaches them to their back, where they have hooked stetae. The hooked stetae are like velcrolike bristles. They will also use poisonous seaweed. With this the crabs blend into their surroundings as long as they stay in that area. Once the crab is big enough to defend itself, it doesn't decorate it's shell but stuff will find their way there and attach. Their shells don't grow with them so in order to grow they must molt and get a new shell. When this happens they take off their decorations and put them on their new shell. So far the crabs aren't endangered. For more stuff go here.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Decorator Crab
The decorator crab, also known as the dresser crab lives northern California to Baja California. They grow to about 5 inches and eat algae, sponges, bryozoans, small crustaceans. The crabs takes small animals and seaweed and attaches them to their back, where they have hooked stetae. The hooked stetae are like velcrolike bristles. They will also use poisonous seaweed. With this the crabs blend into their surroundings as long as they stay in that area. Once the crab is big enough to defend itself, it doesn't decorate it's shell but stuff will find their way there and attach. Their shells don't grow with them so in order to grow they must molt and get a new shell. When this happens they take off their decorations and put them on their new shell. So far the crabs aren't endangered. For more stuff go here.
