Spider / King Crabs

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans sand sandy sandflat seabed sea bed sea-bed seafloor sea-floor floor |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus) covered in sponge growth sheltering at base of pier pylon.
Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus) covered in sponge growth sheltering at base of pier pylon. single one alone lonely isolated individual crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic colour color colourful colorful vibrant vibrent vibrint arthropoda vertical spider spidercrab Crustaceans |Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus)

Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus) camouflaged against sea bed.
Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus) camouflaged against sea bed. single one alone lonely isolated individual crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic sponge sponges cover covering covered Crustaceans |Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii)
Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii) vertical claws advance advancing long legs clamber climb red Crustaceans |Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male in threat posture while holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male holding female during mating session.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) Male holding female during mating session. sex reproduction mate mating maternal copulate copulation two pair couple together duo paired partner partners twin partnership crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic catch catching collect collecting caught capture capturing hunt hunting hunter gather gathering hold grab grabbing grip gripping pincer pincers nip nipper nippers claw claws Crustaceans |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii) searching for food over rubble slope created by dredging operations.
Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii) searching for food over rubble slope created by dredging operations. dredge dredged broke broken brake destroy destroyed environment destruction devestate devistate devistation devestation before after contrast contrasting compare comparison vertical Environment |Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Triangle Crab (Trigonoplax unguiformis longirostris)
Triangle Crab (Trigonoplax unguiformis longirostris) strange unusual weird bizarre bizzare bizzarre ugly freak freaky camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic single one alone lonely isolated individual crustacean Crustaceans |Triangle Crab (Trigonoplax unguiformis longirostris)

Gloomy Octopus (Octopus tetricus) emerging from it's den surrounded by moult shells of Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) left after mating aggregation.
Gloomy Octopus (Octopus tetricus) emerging from it's den surrounded by moult shells of Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii) left after mating aggregation. Octopodidae Octopus Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace alive living orange spidercrab spider-crab spidercrabs spider-crabs curious curiousity curios curiosity look looking inspect inspecting gaze gazing inquisitive inquiring enquiring interested questioning nosy prying carapace carapaces molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts cephalopod cephalopods tentacles tenticles sucker suckers soft delicate fragile arm arms jet propulsion invertebrate invertebrates eye eyes home house shelter sheltered safe safety secure security secured sheltering nest vertical |Gloomy Octopus (Octopus tetricus)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation. Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts sand sandy sandflat seabed sea bed sea-bed seafloor sea-floor floor |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation. Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts sand sandy sandflat seabed sea bed sea-bed seafloor sea-floor floor |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation. Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts sand sandy sandflat seabed sea bed sea-bed seafloor sea-floor floor |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation. Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts sand sandy sandflat seabed sea bed sea-bed seafloor sea-floor floor |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation.
Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii). Mass of moulted shells after mating aggregation. Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts |Spider Crabs (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii) moulted shells after mating aggregation.
Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii) moulted shells after mating aggregation. Majidae Decapoda mass many group together same identical similar dead death decay decompose decaying decomposing rot rotting rotten corpse cadaver carcass molt molting moult moulting molted heap heaps heaped shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield crabs crab arthropod arthropoda crustacea malacostraca decapod decapoda pleocyemata brachyura crustacean crustaceans nipper nipping nippers claw claws pinch pinched pinching pincer pincers sex reproduction mate sand sandy seabed sea-bed sea bed pile piles piled heap heaped heaps collected collection carapace molt molting molted moulted moulting moults molts |Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii)

Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus)
Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus) spider spidercrab single one alone lonely isolated individual crustacean shell armor armour armoured armored protect protected protection hard sheild shield camouflage camoflage camouflaged camoflaged hidden hiding hide cryptic colour color colourful colorful vibrant vibrent vibrint Crustaceans |Decorator Crab (Hyastenus elatus)