Sally lightfoot crab

While the death of Lonesome George consigned his subspecies to the oblivion of extinction (and don't try to tell me cloning might bring him back — it can't), not all Galápagos species are threatened with imminent extinction. These Sally lightfoot crabs (Grapsus grapsus) certainly seem to be thriving. On a grey day threatening rain, they added a delightful touch of colour to the lava rocks along the coast of Santa Cruz.


[6 September 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 100–300 mm at 300 mm, ISO 400, 1/250 at f8]

All content © 2012 Pete McGregor

Purple shore crab

I'm back. Thanks for the comments; I'll respond in the next day or so, as I get sorted.
This was one of the locals at Flounder Bay. Actually, Leptograpsus variegatus wasn't keen on being friendly — its eyesight was simply astonishing and it detected movement from a good 20 metres away, taking rapid evasive action. This was one of the largest crabs I've seen in the wild in New Zealand, with a carapace roughly the area of the back of my fist. Although predominantly purple when viewed from above, from the side the colours were spectacular.
All content © 2009 Pete McGregor