Shame Faced Crab

Lives on soft bottoms, 10 – 400 m. Shame faced crabs owe their name to the habit of holding the broad claws in front of the face as if ashamed. Claws specialized for opening snails: the left pointed claw holds the snail, while the right powerful claw cuts a piece out of snail’s opening. This procedure is repeated until the shell is cut open along it’s winding. Shame-faced crabs are the crabs with a tin opener.

Mediterranean, Bay of Biscay to Cape Verdes, including the other island groups.

Lives on soft bottoms, 10 – 400 m.