Triangle crab facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Triangle crab |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Majidae
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| Genus: |
Eurynolambrus
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| Species: |
E. australis
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| Binomial name | |
| Eurynolambrus australis H. Milne Edwards & Lucas, 1841
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The triangle crab, known scientifically as Eurynolambrus australis, is a small and interesting crab. People in New Zealand also call it riangi in the Māori language. This little crab is found all over New Zealand.
Where the Triangle Crab Lives
The triangle crab, E. australis, loves to live among stones and under rocks. You can often find it in the lower parts of the intertidal zone. This is the area along the coast that is sometimes covered by the ocean and sometimes not.
It can live in water as deep as 80 meters (about 260 feet)! These crabs are often found in rock pools where there's a special type of red seaweed called coralline algae.
What the Triangle Crab Looks Like
Adult triangle crabs are usually between 50 and 65 millimeters long. That's about the size of a small cookie! They have a wide, triangle-shaped shell, called a carapace. This shell covers the top of their body and extends over where their legs attach.
Their shells can be white, pink, or even bright red. They might also have white, grey-brown, and yellow patterns. Their legs are short and flat, with bumpy ridges. The legs can be a mix of orange, dark red, and white colors. They can fold their legs neatly under their shell.
The crab's claws, called chelipeds, feel rough and bumpy. They curve inwards and are purple on the outside, with a white inside. The small feelers near their mouth, called antennules, are usually pale yellow. Their eyestalks, which hold their eyes, are red.
How the Triangle Crab Behaves and What It Eats
The triangle crab is a scavenger. This means it eats whatever food it can find. Its main food is coralline algae, which is a type of red seaweed. Scientists think that eating this red algae is what gives the crab its bright red shell color!
Besides coralline algae, it also eats other types of red and green algae. It also enjoys munching on tiny sea creatures like amphipods, isopods, and other small decapods (like shrimp).
This crab is a cryptic species. This means it's very good at hiding! It uses camouflage to protect itself from animals that might want to eat it. Some people who watch these crabs think they are more active at night. This suggests they might be nocturnal, meaning they are awake and busy when it's dark.
