What is the Arrow Crab Holding

[PapaBob]

This shot was taken on the wreck/artificial reef of the Eagle outside of Tavernier in the Keys last Saturday. The arrow crab appears to be holding something that looks like an egg sac. If so this could be a female shot just before releasing her young. If anyone can be more specific as to what I captured please have at it. I am curious.

---Bob

 

[danvolker]

This shot was taken on the wreck/artificial reef of the Eagle outside of Tavernier in the Keys last Saturday. The arrow crab appears to be holding something that looks like an egg sac. If so this could be a female shot just before releasing her young. If anyone can be more specific as to what I captured please have at it. I am curious.

---Bob

How about a much larger blow up....I am pretty sure Sandra can ID this.

 

[Kupu]

At first glance, it looks like bubble algae. Was the crab carrying it, or just passing by?

 

[T.C.]

It looks like the crab found his marbles!

Seriously, it looks like the bubble algae called a Sea Pearl

 

[chillyinCanada]

It doesn't look like a sea pearl to me. That said, too difficult to get a reap good look at the thing.

 

[T.C.]

Well, I checked my ID book. I really think its a Sea Pearl algae.


And, good picture, too, PapaBob!

 

[chillyinCanada]

OK TC. But the reason I don't think it is a sea pearl is because I was comparing the picture to real life not my ID book.

 

[T.C.]

OK TC. But the reason I don't think it is a sea pearl is because I was comparing the picture to real life not my ID book.

Ok, but it does look like both the ones in the book, and the one's I've seen in the Keys and Roatan.

What doesn't look like a Sea Pearl to you? What do you think it is?

 

[chillyinCanada]

OK TC, went to my ID book. Still don't think it is a sea pearl. My experience with sea pearls has some similarity to yours in that I've seen them many many times in Roatan, Florida, Belize and the other side of the world too. In that regard, 3 weeks ago another diver asked me what it was he'd seen and I replied "a sea pearl".

I've no problem should it turn out I'm wrong about this. In the OP's picture, to my eye, the item looks too diaphanous to be a sea pearl.

It would be interesting to confirm whether taken on a day or night dive.

 

[T.C.]

It would be interesting to know the time.

In my experience, something small, round, and green like that has been a Sea Pearl Algae. I was curious what you believe it to be? I may well be wrong, it could be an egg mass, or trash.