Pom Pom Crab
Lybia edmondsoni
Pom Pom crabs are notable for their mutualistic, or perhaps kleptoparasitic relationship (taking prey or other food that was caught, collected, or prepared by another animal) with two anemones they keep clinched in their claws. While the crab itself has a beautiful carapace, their front claws have developed to hold anemones to assist with capturing prey.
SPECIES IN DETAIL
Pom Pom Crab
Lybia edmondsoni
CONSERVATION STATUS: Not evaluated
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
Geographic Distribution
These crabs are endemic to Hawaii.
Habitat
They live in shallow water to a depth of 20 meters (66 feet). They generally hide in rubble, rocks, or under coral.
Physical Characteristics
Pom Pom crabs have a beautiful polygonal pattern of yellow, pink, and/or brown on their carapace. Their legs are clear with black or dark purple bands. They are most notable to carrying a small anemone in each claw, which looks like the crab is holding pom-poms.
Size
Pom Pom crabs can grow up to 25 millimeters (1 inch) in length.
Diet
Pom Pom Crabs are considered kleptoparasitic, in that they use the anemones they hold in their claws to sting and paralyze prey, and then steal the food from the anemones for themselves. They are omnivores that eat detritus, and the ‘stickiness’ of the anemone tentacles helps attract different types of food as well.
Under human care, they can eat shrimp, fish and squid.
Reproduction
The male and female mate, and the female broods the eggs. After they are fertilized, the female will carry the eggs on the surface of her body for 13—15 days which can be seen as a large red-orange clump. When the eggs hatch, they begin as plankton that float in the current. As the planktonic crab grows, it will settle to the ocean floor as a fully formed crab.
Behavior
Like most crabs, pom pom crabs go through the molting process; they shed their outer shell to regrow a new one. It is possible for a crab to regrow a lost leg during the molting process although it may take several molts to regrow the limb.
Adaptation
Pom Pom crabs have developed a mutualistic relationship with anemones, which are usually Triactis producta. Pom Pom crabs carry a small anemone in each claw which have become specially adapted to holding anemones. The crabs use the anemones to sting and immobilize prey. If a crab is missing an anemone, they will tear the other one into two. Most crabs in the family Xanthidae are poisonous, which may explain their Hawaiian name of ‘inedible flower crab’.
Longevity
Their longevity is unknown.
Conservation
There are no conservation efforts in place for them at this time.
Special Notes
Pom Pom crabs carry a small anemone in each claw. The crab, endemic to the Hawaiian islands, has the Hawaiian name of “kūmimi pua,” meaning “inedible flower crab”.
SPECIES IN DETAIL | Print full entry
Pom Pom Crab
Lybia edmondsoni
CONSERVATION STATUS: Not evaluated
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
These crabs are endemic to Hawaii.
They live in shallow water to a depth of 20 meters (66 feet). They generally hide in rubble, rocks, or under coral.
Pom Pom crabs have a beautiful polygonal pattern of yellow, pink, and/or brown on their carapace. Their legs are clear with black or dark purple bands. They are most notable to carrying a small anemone in each claw, which looks like the crab is holding pom-poms.
Pom Pom crabs can grow up to 25 millimeters (1 inch) in length.
Pom Pom Crabs are considered kleptoparasitic, in that they use the anemones they hold in their claws to sting and paralyze prey, and then steal the food from the anemones for themselves. They are omnivores that eat detritus, and the ‘stickiness’ of the anemone tentacles helps attract different types of food as well.
Under human care, they can eat shrimp, fish and squid.
The male and female mate, and the female broods the eggs. After they are fertilized, the female will carry the eggs on the surface of her body for 13—15 days which can be seen as a large red-orange clump. When the eggs hatch, they begin as plankton that float in the current. As the planktonic crab grows, it will settle to the ocean floor as a fully formed crab.
Like most crabs, pom pom crabs go through the molting process; they shed their outer shell to regrow a new one. It is possible for a crab to regrow a lost leg during the molting process although it may take several molts to regrow the limb.
Pom Pom crabs have developed a mutualistic relationship with anemones, which are usually Triactis producta. Pom Pom crabs carry a small anemone in each claw which have become specially adapted to holding anemones. The crabs use the anemones to sting and immobilize prey. If a crab is missing an anemone, they will tear the other one into two. Most crabs in the family Xanthidae are poisonous, which may explain their Hawaiian name of ‘inedible flower crab’.
Their longevity is unknown.
There are no conservation efforts in place for them at this time.
Pom Pom crabs carry a small anemone in each claw. The crab, endemic to the Hawaiian islands, has the Hawaiian name of “kūmimi pua,” meaning “inedible flower crab”.