Purple Swift-footed Shore Crab
Leptograpsus variegatus
Features
Carapace has broadly rounded edges; strong tooth behind eyes; legs long and flattened; claws purple above and white below. To 80 mm across, but usually smaller.
Notes
On rocky coasts exposed to strong surf, sheltering in crevices and under rocks from mid to high tide mark. Very fast and difficult to catch. Scavenger and carnivore. Southern and subtropical Australia; Indo-Pacific.
Queensland Museum's Find out about... is proudly supported by the Thyne Reid Foundation and the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation.
