Grapsidae
Guides
Pachygrapsus transversus
Mottled Shore Crab
A small to medium-sized shore crab native to the western Atlantic, ranging from the eastern United States through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. The species inhabits rocky and hard substrates in intertidal zones, where it is commonly found in crevices and under rocks. Reproductive studies indicate it breeds in the Brazilian temperate zone, with specific population dynamics documented in that region. The species serves as a host for multiple parasites including the bopyrid isopod Leidya bimini and the rhizocephalan barnacle Sacculina carcini.