Graceful Decorator Crab
Scientific Name: Oregonia gracilis
Category: other
Brief Description
A small marine crab known for its ability to camouflage itself by attaching living organisms and debris to its shell.
Characteristics
Pointed pear-shaped carapace with long, slender legs. Often covered in algae, sponges, bryozoans, or hydroids attached to small hooked hairs (setae) on its shell.
Habitat
Intertidal and subtidal zones, typically found on rocky reefs, kelp forests, and dock pilings.
When to Find It
N/A
Conservation Status
N/A
Ecological Role
Acts as a scavenger and small predator while providing a platform for other small organisms to grow, contributing to local biodiversity and energy transfer in the food web.
Easily Confused With
Sharp-nosed Crab (Scyra acutifrons) which has a wider, more plate-like body, and Long-horn Decorator Crab (Chorilia longipes) which usually lives in much deeper water.
Observation Tips
Look very closely at rocky tide pools or kelp stems during low tide; they are often completely motionless and blend in perfectly with their surroundings. If handled, do so gently as they are fragile.
Interesting Facts
Decorator crabs have specialized hook-like hairs on their carapace that act like Velcro, allowing them to 'velcro' bits of seaweed and sponge to their bodies for protection from predators like octopuses.
User Notes
Puget Sound