On a wave-washed rock, a crab can be gone before the next splash arrives. Grapsus tenuicrustatus runs and jumps across the shore with remarkable speed.
- Local names
- toetoe
About this species
Common in French Polynesia and widespread in tropical waters, this crab favours exposed waterfronts and rocky beaches. A flattened body and especially flat rear legs let it keep close to the surface. Its rounded shell carries irregular pale or yellowish wrinkles against a mixture of dark green, black, orange, yellow and red.
Look for widely spaced eyes and claws that are often red. Before mating, individuals communicate through touch and chemical signals as part of their courtship.
