Striped Shore Crab
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Striped Shore Crabs (Pachygrapsus crassipes) are common residents of rocky intertidal zones along the Oregon and California coasts.
It is a small crab, with most averaging two to three inches in diameter. The stripes on the back make it fairly easy to identify. The stripes account for its other common name, the lined shore crab.
These shore crabs come in a few different colors. The top picture shows a green shore crab hiding under a rock during low tide. A closer inspection shows its green eyes.
The bottom picture shows a reddish form of the crab under water. Striped Shore Crabs split their time living and foraging on the land and in the ocean.
The picture also highlights the crab's square body shell.
Both pictures show the crab's claws, and they do pinch when handled.
© 2008 Patricia A. Michaels