Photo Image Candy crab Hoplophrys oatesii

CANDY CRAB

Hoplophrys oatesii

This is a small species of spider crab, which hides among polyps of soft corals, Dendronepthya sp. Their body colour ranges from white, pink, yellow to red depending on the colour or its host. It camouflages itself by attaching soft coral polyps onto its carapace. Their first pair of legs has small claws, they have a body with large spines, and they are translucent with red and white patterns, mimicking a soft coral host. Their body size is about 1,5 cm.
Frequency of sightings:
RARE
Best time of year:
All year round
Remarks:
5-30 m depth, body size up to 2 cm
Divesites seen at:
Angels Window, Batu Merah, California Dreaming, Critter Hunt, Dantes Wall, Magic Rock, Makawide, Makawide 2, Makawide 3, Mawali Wreck, Nudi Falls, Nudi Retreat, Tanjung Kubur, Tanjung Tebal

Taxonomical order of this critter:
Invertebrate
Crustacean
Malacostraca
Crab
-	Black Coral Crab
-	Blue Swimming Crab
-	Candy crab
-	Carry Crab
-	Crowned coral crab
-	Cryptodomia Sponge Crab
-	Cyclocoeloma Decorator Crab
-	Dormia Sponge Crab
-	Halimeda crab
-	Harlequin crab
	more