Hoplophrys oatesi (Soft coral crab)
Identification
Tiny, pink and white crab, perfectly camouflaged for the Dendronephthya soft coral it lives on. Pink to red band markings on the legs and covered in spike-like tubercles.
Status
Unassessed by the IUCN Red list. It is widely spread throughout the Indo-Pacific, but can be difficult to spot.
Habitat
Indi-Pacific; Indonesia, the Philippines, to New Caledonia and Fiji, and up to Japan. It can be found on soft coral of the genus Dendronephthya, in a depth range of 10-90 meters.
Reproduction
–
Size
Up to 1,5cm.
Prey / Predation
It feeds on plankton and coral polyps.
Special features
These crabs are tiny, so it might take some time before you actually spot one moving.
