It waves these anemones like a cheerleader to scare off its predators. During moulting, it sets them down and picks them up again after moulting.
Identity card
Pom-pom crab
- Scientific name:
- Lybia tessellata
- Family:
- Xanthidae
- Class:
- Malacostraca
- Phylum:
- Arthropoda
- Year of description:
- Latreille (in Milbert), 1812
- IUCN Status:
- Not Evaluated
- Distribution:
-
Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to French Polynesia via Mayotte and Réunion. Southern Japan to Australia, New Caledonia.
- Habitat:
-
At depths of less than 20 m. Coral reefs, detrital areas, under rocks.
- Size:
Shell 2 cm wide.
- Diet:
-
Small invertebrates, prawns, seaweed, detritus.
