Huge, vividly colored crabs patrol the beach for algae
Sally Lightfoot crabs are possibly the most beautiful of all the crab species. Vividly colored in red and white with gold trim, these crabs are a sight to behold. Aptly named, they are incredibly quick and agile, making them almost impossible to catch. They inhabit almost all beaches and rocky surface in the Galapagos Islands, and other tropical areas, providing a janitorial service by ridding the beach of decaying vegetation and animal matter.
This large Sally Lightfoot is patrolling his beach on San Cristobal Island, gobbling up algae and any other edible material that will overrun the beach if not removed. This is a crucial role that prevents rot, stench, and bacteria that would be a threat to other animals, and even people wishing to use the beach.
In true crab fashion, this large fellow walks sideways on his eight legs, ready to make a quick dash for cover if danger appears. Birds and other crabs are the main predators of the Sally Lightfoot. Despite the vast numbers that appear along the intertidal areas of beaches, they are so hard to catch that few predators consider them a food source worth pursuing.
These crabs are vulnerable to a very specialized and disturbing parasite, the Rhizocephalan barnacle that effectively takes over the entire crab. It extends veins throughout the crab, even throughout the legs, resembling a root system, robbing the host of nutrients in order to feed. It will also destroy the sexual organs of the host crab in the process.
Sally Lightfoot crabs are a beautiful sight and a delight for tourists to photograph, as long as they remain still long enough to capture a well focused image. Their distinctive look has made them one of the more iconic animals of the Galapagos Islands.
-
1:00
WildCreatures
11 days ago $0.83 earnedFruit bats in Roatan swam a feeding bowl to get sugar water
3.27K4 -
8:29
ParisDemers
1 day agoThe Kratos/God Of War Workout Program (His Real-Life Training)
47.2K6 -
16:14
CarlCrusher
21 hours agoSkinwalker's Evil Twin - Beyond Skinwalker Ranch Behind the Scenes Season 1 ep 2
43.1K12 -
58:35
Crime Circus
1 day agoMackenzie Shirilla KlDNAPPED!! True Crime Documentary!
51.6K16 -
8:03
Bearing
1 day agoE-Safety Karen INVENTS Elon Musk HARASSMENT While LEAKING Private Details!
61.3K100 -
17:16
Clownfish TV
1 day agoMedia Melting Down Over Mainstream Media Meltdown...
91.9K76 -
1:11
Gamazda
22 hours agoFlight of the Bumblebee - Rimsky-Korsakov
91.9K73 -
1:00:21
MYLUNCHBREAK CHANNEL PAGE
23 hours agoA Little Season in New York City
88.3K86 -
11:56
China Uncensored
1 day agoThe Philippines Threaten War with China
76.3K63 -
33:00
Degenerate Jay
1 day agoThe James Bond Games Have Been Lost To Time
43.8K8