# Dolly Varden Crab (*hepatus epheliticus*) The Dolly Varden Crab is a colorful little creature that loves to scuttle around in the sand. With its bright colors and playful nature, it's sure to bring a smile to your face! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Dolly Varden Crabs live in coastal waters, often found near sandy beaches and rocky shores. - **Also known as:** Colorful Crab, Dolly Crab, Scuttling Crab ![Dolly Varden Crab](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hepatus_epheliticus.jpg&width=800) Photo: The original uploader was Dawson at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hepatus_epheliticus.jpg) ## Appearance The Dolly Varden Crab has a rounded, flattened body adorned with striking red-orange to dark brown spots on a cream or pale yellow background, resembling the trout it's named after. Its short, stout legs and small pincers complete its distinctive, patterned look, making it stand out on the sandy seafloor. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Malacostraca - **Order:** Decapoda - **Family:** Aethridae - **Genus:** Hepatus ## Interesting facts - Did you know this crab is named after a colorful fish, the Dolly Varden trout, because of its similar spotty patterns? - These crabs can regenerate lost limbs, meaning if they lose a leg or pincer, a new one can grow back! - Unlike many crabs, they are often solitary, preferring to hunt and live alone on the seafloor. - When buried, only its tiny eyes and antennae might stick out of the sand, waiting patiently for a meal! ## Special abilities - **Spot-On Camouflage:** Dolly Varden Crab has a spotted shell pattern that helps them blend perfectly with speckled sand, making them nearly invisible to predators. - **Rapid Burial Specialist:** Dolly Varden Crab can dig backwards incredibly fast into soft sand, vanishing from sight in seconds to escape danger or ambush prey. - **Strong Pinchers:** Dolly Varden Crab has strong, specialized pincers that help them crack open tough shells of clams and snails for food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 5 cm - **Weight:** 60 g - **Lifespan:** 3 years ## Diet & Feeding This crab is a hungry hunter, gobbling up small shelled animals it finds on the seafloor! - **Primary Foods:** small clams, sea snails, marine worms, other small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common Octopus (*Octopus vulgaris*) — hunts crabs in coastal waters - **Eaten by:** Tonguefish (*Symphurus plagiusa*) — eats small crustaceans - **Eats:** Coquina Clam (*Donax variabilis*) — cracks shells of small bivalves - **Eats:** Eastern Mud Snail (*Nassarius vibex*) — preys on various small snails ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch where you step near the water to avoid crabs! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dolly Varden Crab? Look for fins, arms, tentacles, shells and body symmetry. Underwater light shifts colors, so structure and markings usually matter more than shade. Sea Creature Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Dolly Varden Crab? 5 cm ### How much does Dolly Varden Crab weigh? 60 g ### How long does Dolly Varden Crab live? 3 years ### What does Dolly Varden Crab eat? This crab is a hungry hunter, gobbling up small shelled animals it finds on the seafloor! ### Where is Dolly Varden Crab usually found? Dolly Varden Crabs live in coastal waters, often found near sandy beaches and rocky shores. ### How does Dolly Varden Crab hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Cayo Costa State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cayo-costa-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Dolly Varden Crab: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dolly-varden-crab)