The globe crab (Randallia ornata) is no ordinary crab. Its bulbous shell and stylish color pattern shouts, “I’m different and proud of it!” You might think with a name like globe that this crab really gets around…travels the ocean world so to speak…a real globe trotter. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. While the ocean… [read more]
A decorator crab’s crown of leaves
It’s a bit hard to tell, but that’s a decorator crab in the center of the photo sitting amongst the blades of grass. But that’s the whole point! To be a master of disguise and trick ocean predators into thinking you’re just another part of the landscape. Nothing to see here folks. If there was… [read more]
Easy crab, watch those elbows!
One of the most common phrases I heard growing up was, “No elbows on the table!” Well, this crab would have been in big trouble at my family’s dinner table…the sandflat elbow crab or Heterocrypta occidentalis. As you can see from the photo, this crab has disproportionately large claws ending in tiny pincers, making it… [read more]
Go globe crab!
At Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the globe crab is always on the move and doesn’t have to worry about typical crab concerns such as hiding from predators. In the wild, globe crabs aren’t as carefree and spend most of the day hiding in the sand and then under the cover of night they scurry along the… [read more]
Red rock shimp: cleaners and risk takers
It’s almost Valentine’s Day! The perfect time to highlight a red ocean critter: the red rock shrimp or Lysmata californica. In Southern California, the red rock shrimp plays an important cleaning role, removing parasites from moray eels and California spiny lobsters. Parasite removal doesn’t sound like a great gig, but it’s not so bad if… [read more]
California spiny lobster pays tribute to Tim Burton
Since my favorite California spiny lobster passed away this spring, there has been a lot of extra space in Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s lobster tank. But that available real estate is quickly disappearing with the addition of two lobsters. A fisherman recently donated a 10.5 pound California spiny lobster. Not as big as the tank’s former… [read more]
Move over Martha Stewart! Meet the decorator crab…
It’s time to introduce my new favorite critter at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium…the decorator crab! In retrospect, the decorator crab should have been the feature of my Halloween post because this crab is the true master of disguise. And Halloween or not, the decorator crab has one of the best costumes ever. Decorator crabs use algae,… [read more]
Freeing captured animals is risky business
On Wednesday, August 3rd, a group of Tibetan Buddhists released more than 500 lobsters back into the Atlantic Ocean in honor of wheel turning day, the anniversary of the first sermon Buddha taught. By saving the lobsters from death, extra karma is earned and everyone walks or swims away better off. (For more details on… [read more]
RIP my favorite California spiny lobster
Alas, Tank, my favorite California spiny lobster at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, died this past weekend. One minute he was sitting on his favorite rock, the next minute he was on the bottom of the tank on his side. A lobster on its side usually means one of two things, it’s molting or it died. Unfortunately,… [read more]
Cool footage of California spiny lobsters
Here’s a fun YouTube video that shows California spiny lobsters in their natural environment. If you click play, you will have the chance to see them hanging out together in rock crevices and dens, peeping out at the diver filming the video. For some reason, watching spiny lobsters scurry along the rocks in this video… [read more]