Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 2226734
Longnose Spider Crab
Libinia dubiaAlso known as Long-nosed Spider Crab, Spider Crab
Longnose spider crabs inhabit shallow estuarine waters along the Atlantic coast, where they walk deliberately across muddy sea floors and eelgrass beds. Juveniles actively decorate their pear-shaped shells with living sponges, hydroids, and algae to blend into the sea floor, attaching marine growth to specialized velcro-like hooked hairs. As adults, they rely more on their slow movements and spiny exoskeleton to evade predators while scavenging for fallen organic debris.
CrustaceanCamouflageMarine
1 / 2—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Mollusks
- Algae
- Detritus
Predators
- Red Drum
- Gulls
- Rays
ThreatsCoastal runoff, habitat degradation, and incidental capture in commercial crab traps
HabitatsShallow coastal bays, estuaries, seagrass beds, and muddy or sandy seafloors
Life span3–5 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyEpialtidae
- SpeciesLibinia dubia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- May pinch with sharp claws if handled; observe undisturbed in shallow water.
- Why it is dangerous
- Equipped with strong, pointed pincers capable of breaking human skin and delivering a painful pinch.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by a pear-shaped, spine-covered carapace with a pointed rostrum extending between the eyes.
- What to do
- Avoid lifting wild crabs by hand, or hold securely at the rear of the main shell behind the back legs.
Responsible observation
- Spotting: Scan sandy patches near dock pilings and eelgrass beds where decorated shells blend into the substrate.
- Handling: Observe from above in clear shallow water without disturbing their camouflage.
Competitor Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Joey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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