Marbled rock crab

Appearance

''P. marmoratus'' has a square carapace 22–36 millimetres long, which is dark violet brown with marbling in yellow. It can be distinguished from related species of ''Pachygrapsus'' in the Mediterranean Sea by the presence of three teeth on each side of the carapace. It is capable of very rapid movements, and it uses this ability to dart into crevices, making it difficult to catch.

Distribution

It is widespread in Southern Europe, from the Black Sea to the Moroccan coast, and along the Atlantic coasts of Portugal, Spain and France, and was observed as early as 1996 as far north as Southampton in the English Channel. This range expansion may be due to the warming of the surface waters.

Habitat

''P. marmoratus'' is an omnivore, but not an opportunist; crabs consume similar proportions of algae and animals however abundant they are in the crab's habitat. The favoured animals in the diet of ''P. marmoratus'' are mussels, limpets and its own species. When attacking the limpet ''Patella depressa'', ''Pachygrapsus marmoratus'' uses a consistent method, which is usually unsuccessful. On more sheltered shores, ''P. grapsus'' eats fewer mussels, but compensates with a greater consumption of barnacles.

Predators of ''Pachygrapsus marmoratus'' include the musky octopus, ''Eledone moschata''.

The larvae of ''P. marmoratus'' are planktonic and may survive for up to 31 days. This results in high levels of gene flow between populations, and allows the species to rapidly colonise new areas.