APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

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Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- freshly moulted 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- freshly moulted 2

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- freshly moulted 3

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- cast off exoskeleton 1

Specimen above found in a pool on the lowershore at Godrevy Point, Gwithian, near Hayle, Cornwall, 10.09.18.

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- slit between rostral horns 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- slit between rostral horns 2

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view carapace 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view crab 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- with 1.0mm division rule 1

Juvenile specimen above was found in a pool on the lowershore at Skilly, near Newlyn, Cornwall, 03.08.18.

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view carapace 2

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view carapace 3

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- ventral view 1

The specimen above is covered with the sponge Halichondria panicea, which was identified from spicules. The crab was found in a sample of fouling taken from pontoons at Newlyn Marina, Newlyn, Cornwall, 29.08.15.

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view 2

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view 3

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view 4

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- dorsal view 5

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- abdomen 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- ventral view 2

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- ventral view 3

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- claw / cheliped 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- slit between rostral horns 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- ventral view anterior 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- lateral view 1

Leach's spider crab
Inachus phalangium
- underwater 1

Images taken on the lowershore at Spit Point, St. Austell Bay, Par, Cornwall; and at Porth Nanven near St. Just, Penwith, Cornwall.

This species is commonly covered with debris, especially sponge, this can make identification tricky but the narrow slit between the rostral horns is typical for this species in UK waters.

Scientific and European Names:
Inachus phalangium, Leach's spider crab, Gladde Sponspootkrab.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.