Marbled Rock Crab

Distribution: Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Length: 36mm

Life Span: 4 years

Diet: Omnivorous

Social life: Solitary

IUCN red list status: Not threatened



The marbled rock crab is dark violet brown, with yellow marbling, and with a body up to 36 millimeters. Crabs are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, composed primarily of calcium carbonate, and armed with a single pair of chelae (claws).

The carapace is almost square and slightly broader than long, with distinct diagonal ridges visible. Crabs typically walk sideways and can communicate by drumming or waving their pincers. Crabs tend to be aggressive towards one another and males often fight to gain access to females. Males often have larger claws. It’s often found on rocks in the middle-upper shore, mainly in the crevices of breakwaters or similar habitats. As an omnivore, they consume similar proportions of algae and animals abundant in the crab's habitat.