General Description
Carapace light to dark brown, sides curved with one notch behind the eye. Front of carapace curves down. Up to 3 cm wide (carapace).
Biology
Haswell's Shore Crabs dig burrows for protection in sand or mud above the high tide level.
Habitat
Sheltered coasts, under rocks, in burrows, mid to high tide levels.
Reefs
Coastal shores
Distribution guide
South-eastern Australia.
Species Group
Depth
Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Water Column
Max Size
3 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Harmful
Not harmful but a nip from claws could be painful.
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Native to Australia
Species Code
MoV 2801
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Not listed
Author
Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.
Author
Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Haswell's Shore Crab, Helograpsus haswellianus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 11 Jun 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/3955
