These little guys were everywhere on Santa Cruz last weekend. I don't know if they've always been there, but we only just learned how to spot them, or if they were unusually abundant.
They all looked just like bits of algae, moving with the water flow and so well-hidden we kept losing track of them even once they were in our sights. They were no more than a couple of inches (including legs).
Someone on another board posited that they were juvenile versions of sheep or moss crabs, but they don't seem quite "chunky" enough in the body or legs... I thought maybe Oregonia gracilis, or Erileptus spinosus, but I'm basically just no good at identifying crabs.
So - help!
Here are a few small versions of pics - click on them to enlarge.
Crab #1:
Crab #2:
Crab #3:
And links to additional photos that weren't "good enough" for Jeff to post in our gallery, but he sent me for ID purposes:
Crab #4 - doing a little "algae dance"
Crab #5 - You put your left leg out...
Crab #6
Crab #7
Thanks for any help!
They all looked just like bits of algae, moving with the water flow and so well-hidden we kept losing track of them even once they were in our sights. They were no more than a couple of inches (including legs).
Someone on another board posited that they were juvenile versions of sheep or moss crabs, but they don't seem quite "chunky" enough in the body or legs... I thought maybe Oregonia gracilis, or Erileptus spinosus, but I'm basically just no good at identifying crabs.
So - help!
Here are a few small versions of pics - click on them to enlarge.
Crab #1:
Crab #2:
Crab #3:
And links to additional photos that weren't "good enough" for Jeff to post in our gallery, but he sent me for ID purposes:
Crab #4 - doing a little "algae dance"
Crab #5 - You put your left leg out...
Crab #6
Crab #7
Thanks for any help!
