Description
Camposcia retusa (commonly known as the velcro crab, spider decorator crab, or harlequin crab) is the only species in the genus Camposcia within the family Inachidae.
Key Characteristics & Description
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Common Names: Velcro crab, spider decorator crab, harlequin crab, blunt decorator crab, or tarantula crab.
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Size:
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Appearance & Camouflage:
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The body has a pear-shaped or tear-drop, bumpy carapace with a swollen stomach area and a broad, slightly deflexed rostrum (head).
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Its body and long, spider-like legs are completely covered in specialized hook-like hairs (seta) that function much like Velcro.
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The crab deliberately plucks and attaches living materials—such as sponges, soft corals, sea anemones, algae, shells, and marine debris—onto these hooks to hide from predators.
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Behavior:
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Slow-moving and largely sedentary or nocturnal, relying heavily on its camouflage.
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Eyes are tiny and sit on long eyestalks; its pincers (chelae) are short and cylindrical.
Habitat & Distribution
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Geographic Range: Widely distributed throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific region, spanning from the Red Sea and East African coast across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, southern Japan, and Australia.
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Environment: Found in shallow marine waters, rocky or coral rubble shores, and seagrass beds.
