Pugettia gracilis

The Graceful Kelp Crab

Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Malacostraca
Subclass Eumalacostraca
Order Decapoda
Suborder Pleocymata
Infraorder Brachyura
Family Inachidae
Genus Pugettia
Species gracilis

Description: Width of carapace is 3 cm; carapace is reddish brown and rough without spines, almost always covered by animals and algae; rostral horns are large and divergent; claws are grey or blue with orange tips.

Habitat: Found on pilings, kelp and eelgrass beds; often seen clinging to kelp or hiding behind it.

Natural History: Although it puts little effort into decorating, usually no more than a piece of algae on its rostrum. When molting it takes a bit of algae from the old carapace and cultivates it on its new one.