Sponge Crab

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

The sponge crab has a rounded, bulky body covered by a thick, slightly velvety shell. Its most remarkable feature is its ability to carry a sponge or another organism on its back, cutting and shaping it to fit.It holds this shelter in place with its last two pairs of legs, which point backwards. Its usually brownish to dark grey colour makes it difficult to spot.Its claws are strong and used both for feeding and for handling the materials it uses as camouflage.

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

The sponge crab is found in the Mediterranean Sea and nearby Atlantic. It lives on different types of seabed, whether rocky, sandy or covered in debris.It often inhabits areas rich in attached organisms, between a few metres and around a hundred metres deep.Inconspicuous, it remains hidden beneath stones or in hollows during the day and becomes more active at night.

WHAT DOES IT EAT?

The sponge crab is an opportunistic omnivore. It eats small animals, molluscs, remains and other organic matter found on the seabed.It moves slowly and uses its claws to grasp and handle its food.