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Hydroid Decorator Crab, Decorator Arrow Crab

Hyastenus bispinosus

Photo by Eric Noora
Published on Project Noah
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13.803, 120.912

Field Notes

Description:

Small decorator crabs, like this one, are often found wearing snipped off tips of stinging hydroids on their heads to fend off predators. A commensal relationship exist between the H. bispinosus and a hydroid it choses to live in.

Notes:

A small decorator crab on a stinging hydroid Cypress Sea Fern (Aglaophenia cupressina) carrying some tips of the hydroid.

Spotted at Dive and Trek House Reef at a depth of about 9 m.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)

Thanks Argybee. Yup best sometimes to show some perspective especially for a creature as small as this. Thanks for the like
Amazing Eric. So glad you put 4 pics so I could work out where it is :)

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