Description: A small, long-legged spider crab with a triangular carapace, usually with a length of around 16 mm. The carapace, legs and pincers can be grey-yellow to red-brown in colour, and occasionally can have white markings. The rostrum is divided into two equal lobes. The carapace surface is covered in numerous hooked bristles, and these are especially prominent on the rostrum. The eyestalks are very prominent when viewed from above. The walking legs are very fine and slender, with the tips of the last two pairs curved and finishing in a sharp point. Pincers are different in males and females; in females they are slender whilst in males they are chunky in comparison to the body/legs and bear some spines.

Habitat: Usually found on muddy sand, from the lower shore to around 130 m.

Distribution: Recorded all around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Could be confused with other Macropodia spp., we have several species in Britain and Ireland that require careful examination of rostrum, spines and antennae to distinguish from each other.

Key Identification Features:

• Small, long-legged spider crab.
• Carapace covered in hooked bristles, especially prominent on rostrum.
• Prominent eyestalks when viewed from above.
• Tips of last two pairs of walking legs curved into a sharp point.

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

iNaturalist: Macropodia rostrata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Macropodia rostrata at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Macropodia rostrata (Linnaeus, 1761). AphiaID: 107345.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Arthropoda; Crustacea; Multicrustacea; Malacostraca; Eumalacostraca; Eucarida; Decapoda; Pleocyemata; Brachyura; Eubrachyura; Heterotremata; Majoidea; Inachidae; Inachinae; Macropodia