Decorator crabs are common in the intertidal and subtidal areas at Race Rocs. Their habit of attaching bits of algae, or shell on their carapace makes them well camouflaged. They are a small crab, only up to 2-3 cm width in their carapace.
In 1889, William Bateson observed in detail the way that decorator crabs fix materials on their backs. He noted that “[t]he whole proceeding is most human and purposeful”, and that if a Stenorhynchus crab is cleaned, it will “immediately begin to clothe itself again with the same care and precision as before”.[2](Wikipedia)
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostrata
Order: Decapoda
Family: Majidae
Genus Oregonia
Species gracilis
Common Name: Decorator Crab
| Other Members of the Phylum Arthropoda at Race Rocks |
 Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomyand Image File |
 The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.
name 2002 (PC) |