# European Green Crab (*carcinus maenas*) The European Green Crab is a small, colorful crab found in coastal waters. It has a lively personality and loves to scuttle around the rocks and sand! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** Coastal waters, rocky shores, and sandy beaches. - **Also known as:** Common Green Crab, Green Crab, Rock Crab ![European Green Crab](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Carcinus_maenas.jpg&width=800) Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carcinus_maenas.jpg) ## Appearance The European Green Crab has a mottled green to dark brown carapace, often with orange or yellow on its underside. It is distinctly identified by five sharp spines on each side of its shell behind its eyes, making it look rugged. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Malacostraca - **Order:** Decapoda - **Family:** Carcinidae - **Genus:** Carcinus ## Interesting facts - A female European Green Crab can lay up to 200,000 eggs at once! - Believe it or not, these crabs can hold their breath for hours out of water! - Their stalked eyes can see almost all around them, even behind them! Wow! - They can walk in all directions, but mostly scuttle sideways really fast! ## Special abilities - **Salty Survivor:** European Green Crab can live in fresh, brackish, and salty waters that helps them thrive in diverse coastal habitats. - **Temperature Resistor:** European Green Crab can survive in icy cold or warm waters because of its adaptable physiology, helping them colonize new areas. - **Crushing Claws:** European Green Crab has powerful claws that helps them open tough shells of prey and defend against predators. - **Rapid Regrowth:** European Green Crab can regrow lost limbs, like claws or legs, because of their amazing regenerative abilities. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 10 cm - **Weight:** 70 g - **Lifespan:** 5 years ## Diet & Feeding These omnivorous crabs eat almost anything smaller than themselves, from shellfish to algae. - **Primary Foods:** clams, mussels, worms, small crustaceans, algae, fish larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [blue mussel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-mussel) (*Mytilus edulis*) — A primary food source, often outcompeting native predators. - **Eats:** [Eastern oyster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-oyster) (*Crassostrea virginica*) — Preys on juvenile oysters, impacting shellfish aquaculture. - **Eats:** sandworm (*Nereis virens*) — Consumes various marine worms found in soft sediments. - **Eaten by:** [Great Black-backed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-backed-gull) (*Larus marinus*) — Large seabirds often prey on smaller crabs in intertidal zones. - **Eaten by:** [Atlantic cod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-cod) (*Gadus morhua*) — Cod will consume smaller or juvenile green crabs if available. ## 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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [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 No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European Green 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 big is European Green Crab? 10 cm ### How much does European Green Crab weigh? 70 g ### How long does European Green Crab live? 5 years ### What does European Green Crab eat? These omnivorous crabs eat almost anything smaller than themselves, from shellfish to algae. ### Where is European Green Crab usually found? Coastal waters, rocky shores, and sandy beaches. ### How does European Green Crab hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Fort Revere Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-revere-park) — US · State Park - [Harkness Memorial State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harkness-memorial-state-park) — Connecticut, US · Botanical Garden - [Harraseeket Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harraseeket-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Kennebunkport Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennebunkport-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Ravenswood Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ravenswood-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wellfleet-bay-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see European Green Crab](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/european-green-crab) ## 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: [European Green Crab: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-green-crab)