Description: A medium-sized crab with an oval-shaped carapace that is usually around 5 – 7 cm wide, with five teeth behind the eye on each side. They are covered in small hairs which can often give a bristled appearance and a dark brown colouration. These crabs usually carry a sponge for camouflage with their specially adapted back legs. Distinctive pale pink or white tips to equally-sized pincers, this feature is diagnostic. Their second set of legs is longer than the third pair, fourth and fifth pairs of legs short and stumpy as modification for carrying sponge.

Habitat: Prefers rocky or hard substrata. Found from the lower shore to sublittoral around 70 m depth.

Distribution: A southern species with no records from the island of Ireland to date. Recorded as far north as Bangor, Wales.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with any other species.

Key Identification Features:

• Pale pink or white tip to pincers.
• Carries a sponge with back legs.
• Oval carapace with bristled appearance.
• Five teeth on each side behind the eye.

Distribution Map from NBN: Dromia personata at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Dromia personata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Dromia personata at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Dromia personata (Linnaeus, 1758). AphiaID: 107258.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Arthropoda; Crustacea; Multicrustacea; Malacostraca; Eumalacostraca; Eucarida; Decapoda; Pleocyemata; Brachyura; Dromiacea; Dromioidea; Dromiidae; Dromiinae; Dromia