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Purple shore crab

Hemigrapsus nudus

Purple shore crab

Hemigrapsus nudus
Other Common Names
Naked shore crab
At the Aquarium
Rocky Coast
Other Common Names
Naked shore crab

At the Aquarium

Rocky Coast

Appearance

Purple shore crabs are usually a purple color though they can be olive green or a reddish-brown. Their chelipeds are spotted, reddish-purple, with white-tipped claws, and soft tissues at the base of their claws. Males also have a tuft of hairs on the palm sides of their chelipads. There are 3 spines on each side of the carapace. The legs do not have any hairs.

Habitat

Mostly found under rocks and in cracks in the intertidal, though they also appear in estuaries.

Diet

Omnivore: algae, diatoms, amphipods, snail eggs.

Life History

The eggs are fertilized internally and then deposited outside the abdomen, on the flap. A female will carry an egg mass of 400 to 36,000 eggs for about 3 months. Upon hatching, the larvae are released to start life as plankton. A larva will progress through a series of larval stages, with the final stage being the megalopal stage, which will settle in the intertidal and undergo metamorphosis to the juvenile stage. A newly metamorphosed juvenile has a carapace width of 0.08 inches. The carapace of males can reach a width of 2.2 inches while females are smaller, only reaching 1.3 inches in width.

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

The predators of these crabs include staghorn and tidepool sculpins, anemones, and white-winged scoters.
Range
Alaska to Mexico
On the Oregon Coast
You can find these small crabs hiding among rocks in the lower estuary and in tidepools.
Fun Facts
Many crabs appear to be slobbering bubbles when they are out of the water because they are pumping both air and water into their gill chambers, and the outlets for these are near their mouth.

Citations & Other Resources

Back to All Animals

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About Oregon Coast Aquarium

Since opening in 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium has been a premier attraction on Oregon’s central coast and an enduring advocate for the health of our ocean. For over three decades this 501(c)3 non-profit organization has supported marine wildlife and fostered environmental stewardship through its education programs, community partnerships, and rehabilitation efforts. Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 aquariums in the U.S., providing visitors with opportunities to connect with 15,000 animals spanning 300 different species. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is located at 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Rd., Newport, OR. Learn more about the Oregon Coast Aquarium and its vital work at aquarium.org, 541-867-3474. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates.

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