Like lobsters and shrimps, the red spotted coral crab is a crustacean, which means it has a hard shell, or exoskeleton, that protects it from predators. When it grows larger, it will molt, or get rid of, its old exoskeleton. It will then grow a larger exoskeleton to fit its new size.

The red spotted coral crab may be small, but animals should think twice before messing with it! It lives on and in coral, and will defend its home, using its claws to pinch and drive away predators who want to eat it or its coral. For example, when a crown-of-thorns sea star climbs on top of its coral, it will pinch at its tube feet. The pain forces the sea star to crawl away, defeated. Since the coral provides the crab with a safe place to live, and the crab protects it from predators, they live in a close, or symbiotic, relationship that is mutualistic—good for both of them.

French Polynesian Exclusive Economic Zone, Mauritius, Mayotte Exclusive Economic Zone, Red Sea, Réunion Exclusive Economic Zone, Seychelles

Depth range based on 6 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 6 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 1.75 - 40
  Temperature range (°C): 17.194 - 28.081
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.032 - 7.659
  Salinity (PPS): 33.456 - 36.905
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.657 - 5.566
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.085 - 0.389
  Silicate (umol/l): 1.133 - 2.709

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 1.75 - 40

Temperature range (°C): 17.194 - 28.081

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.032 - 7.659

Salinity (PPS): 33.456 - 36.905

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.657 - 5.566

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.085 - 0.389

Silicate (umol/l): 1.133 - 2.709
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

The red spotted coral crab eats tiny sea animals called Zooplankton. Since it only eats animals, it is a carnivore.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


No available public DNA sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 6
Specimens with Barcodes: 6
Species With Barcodes: 1

Reefs are in danger, and that means so is the home of the red spotted coral crab!