Southern Kelp Crab, Taliepus nuttallii

Southern Kelp Crab, Male, Taliepus nuttallii. Crab collected out of a San Diego, California, tidal-pool in January 2009. Size: 12.7 cm (5.0 inches) x 13.7 cm (5.3 inches); Wing Span: 41 cm (16 inches).

General information: The  Southern Kelp Crab, Taliepus nuttallii, is a common quick agile shore crab that is a member of the Epialtidae Family of decorator crabs. In Mexico it is known as el sur de kelp cangrejo. They are known for their ability to cling onto kelp using their claws.

Identification: The Southern Kelp Crab has distinctive long, spindly legs which are best known for their habit of camouflaging themselves with bits of algae, sponges, bryozoans, or other animals. These attachments are also believed to provide a defensive mechanism as they change the way the crab feels, smells, and tastes to a predator, with many of the attachments being noxious. They also have the ability to molt their shells to rid themselves of unwanted shell attachments such as barnacles and moss. They are characterized by a large very rounded carapace that has lateral teeth reduced to small bumps and a smooth surface that is not decorated. They vary in color from yellow-orange to dark purple, to reddish-brown. The consume algae primarily. The Southern Kelp Crab are dimorphic with the male reaching a maximum of 9.1 cm (3.6 inches) in width and the females 4.6 cm (1.8 inches). They can be confused with the Moss Crab, Loxorhynchus crispatus (narrower shell) and the Graceful Kelp Crab, Pugettia gracilis (shell with large lateral teeth).

Habitat and Range: The Southern Kelp Crab is found among algae in rocky intertidal habitats and offshore in kelp beds to depths up to 90 m (300 feet). They are highly dependent on kelp beds for food and shelter. They range from Santa Barbara, California to Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur.

Diet: The Southern Kelp Crabs diet consists mostly of different species of kelp and algae; they are also known to consume other small invertebrates.

Conservation Status:  From a conservation perspective the Southern Kelp Crab has not been formally evaluated. However, they are common and of limited interest to most and should be considered to be of Least Concern.

Synonyms: Epialtus nuttallii