General Description
Body partially or fully covered by pieces of seaweed, sponges and other colonial animals. Body pear shaped with a pair of spikes in front. Legs and claws short, usually held underneath the body. Up to 4 cm long (carapace).
Biology
Small Seaweed Crabs pick algae and sponges from the rocks and attach them with glue or hooks to their back and legs. A number of related "decorator" crabs live in Victoria, differing in the shape of ridges and spines above the eyes.
Habitat
Sheltered areas on rocky shores.
Reefs
Coastal shores
Distribution guide
Southern Australia.
Species Group
Depth
Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Water Column
Max Size
4 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 706
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, Small Seaweed Crab, Notomithrax minor, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 08 Jun 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/4002
