Summary ³

The velvet crab (alternatively velvet swimming crab, devil crab or lady crab), Necora puber, is a species of crab. It is the largest swimming crab (family Portunidae) found in British coastal waters, with a carapace width of up to 100 millimetres (3.9 in), and the only species in the genus Necora. The body is coated with short hairs, giving the animal a velvety texture, hence the common name. It is one of the major crab species for...

My Observations ⁴

Defensive and pinch HARD. Easily distinguishable from other crabs by the bright red eyes. Found under rocks and submerged overhangs. They will pinch you if you reach your hand under rocks and try to grab them.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Valentin de Mazancourt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Valentin de Mazancourt
2. (c) Wembury Marine Centre, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Wembury Marine Centre
3. Adapted by bingusb from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necora_puber
4. (c) bingusb, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• NBN Atlas
• SeaLifeBase
• World Register of Marine Species

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