The Emerald Crab is a species of crab known as Mithraculus sculptus. It’s also known as the Green Clinging Crab. It belongs to the crab family called Majidae.
Emerald Crab is known for its dark green color. It’s found in warm waters in the Caribbean Sea. Some people even keep this crab in reef aquariums too.
What Does the Emerald Crab Look Like?
Emerald Crab is a small crab. It has a longer carapace than it is wide, and it also has large claws, known as chelae.
Its carapace is flat, shiny, and green. It’s finely sculpted with white stuff sticking to the bumps. The claws are also green. They are shaped like a spoon and have white tips.
Emerald Crab’s walking legs are a lighter color. They are hairy and often have stuff stuck to them. This crab can grow to about 4 cm, or 1.6 inches long.
What Is a Carapace?
The carapace is a hard shell that covers the back of animals like crabs and turtles. It’s like their armor.
It protects them from predators and helps them survive in the wild.
Where Does the Emerald Crab Live?
The Emerald Crab is native to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It’s found from the Bahamas and southern Florida down to the northern part of Brazil.
Emerald Crab lives in water that’s up to about 54 meters, or 177 feet deep. This crab can live in many different places, but it’s often found in back reef environments.
What Does the Emerald Crab Do?
The Emerald Crab is mostly active at night. During the day, it likes to hide in caves, crevices, and under rocks. It eats leftovers from other animals and algae.
Emerald Crab can handle both very hot and very cold temperatures. It also can hold on tight to things when the water currents are strong.
The Emerald Crab is often seen in coral branches like the Porites furcata. It also eats stuff growing on the leaves of turtle grass. If it feels scared, it often hides under the long arms of the sun anemone.
Can the Emerald Crab Live in An Aquarium?
Yes, the Emerald Crab can live in a reef aquarium. It can get along with other reef species. It will eat algae and any leftover meaty foods.
But, if the Emerald Crab doesn’t get enough to eat, it might eat coral polyps or small fish.
Some people use this crab to control too much growth of bubble algae in aquariums. But, it’s best to add mysids to its diet and not pelleted food.
What Are Mysids?
Mysids are tiny shrimp-like creatures. They are a good food for many types of fish and crabs.
What Are Pelleted Foods?
Pelleted foods are small, round pieces of food made for feeding fish and other water animals.
But, they’re not the best food for Emerald Crab.
Emerald Crab Characteristics
| Reef Safe? | With caution |
| Care Level: | Easy |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Family: | Majidae |
| Genus: | Mithraculus |
| Scientific Name: | Mithraculus sculptus |
| Also Known As: | Emerald Crab, Green Clinging Crab |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |