Grapsus grapsus

Grapsus grapsus is a colorful shore crab of rocky coasts in the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic, including the Galápagos Islands. It is known for its agility on exposed rocks and its distinctive red, orange, or purple coloring.

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Grapsidae: Grapsidae is a family of crabs commonly associated with shorelines and intertidal habitats. This crab belongs to a family adapted to life along coasts.
Crab locomotion: Crab locomotion is movement produced mainly by walking legs, often with sideways or rapid scuttling. Its speed and sure footing help it escape across uneven, wave-washed rock.
Galápagos Islands: The Galápagos Islands are an Ecuadorian archipelago in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The crab is a conspicuous inhabitant of the islands' rocky shores.
Grapsus albolineatus: Grapsus albolineatus is a colorful Indo-Pacific shore crab in the genus Grapsus. This close relative occupies Indo-Pacific shores rather than the Americas.
Decapoda: Decapoda is an order of crustaceans with five pairs of walking legs, including crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. Its ten legs place it among the decapod crustaceans.
Crustacean gills: Crustacean gills are respiratory structures that exchange gases between the animal and its surroundings. Moist gills let the crab breathe during periods out of water.
Rocky shore: A rocky shore is a coastal habitat where bedrock and boulders are exposed to tides and waves. This is the habitat where the crab's climbing and sprinting are especially visible.
Pachygrapsus crassipes: Pachygrapsus crassipes is a grapsid crab found on rocky shores of the northeastern Pacific. It shares rocky-shore habits but belongs to a different crab genus.
Crustacean: Crustaceans are arthropods with jointed limbs, segmented bodies, and usually hard external skeletons. Its exoskeleton and jointed limbs are characteristic crustacean features.
Crab feeding: Crab feeding includes varied strategies for collecting, handling, and consuming animal or plant food. Its shore foraging draws on food available across rocks and tide pools.