Some may refer to it it as the‘ edible’ crab, but for Paul Naylor this crustacean is notable for its nobility
CRITTERCONFIDENTIAL
Brown Crab
Some may refer to it it as the‘ edible’ crab, but for Paul Naylor this crustacean is notable for its nobility
Brown Crabs walking over the Norfolk chalk reef
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Cancer pagurus
A favourite story-telling photo: Male brown crab guarding a newly moulted female that is tucked in behind her old armour
The photographs I get most enjoyment from are those that tell a story about an animal’ s life. That’ s why I find crabs such appealing subjects; they move and act at the ideal speed, slower than fish and faster than starfish or sea anemones! Sometimes, they don’ t even need to move.
A recent favourite was taken while diving on the beautiful Norfolk chalk reef. There, in a small cave-like hollow at the base of the reef, a large brown crab was positioned over another one in a protective pose. This second crab looked rather sickly and as I got down closer, the crustaceans’ story became clear.
The second‘ crab’ wasn’ t a crab at all; it was a now empty but very complete suit of armour. The‘ new’ freshly-moulted crab that had emerged was tucked further back under its guardian, much better protected and largely hidden behind the old armour that acted as a useful barrier. Other aspects of the scene confirmed what was happening: the partly hidden crab at the rear had the newly-moulted‘ fresh’ colouration, the abdomen(‘ tail’ flap) on the underside of the old armour showed it was a female and the white crack visible in the suit showed where its occupant would have been able to slide out.