Product Description
Sally Lightfoot crabs are brightly-coloured coastal scavengers, found in the Galapagos Islands and across the western coast of South and Central America. They have an extremely generalist diet, feeding on anything from sea lion placenta to other crabs. This makes them an important part of the ecosystem, as they provide services such as keeping the shore clean of any organic debris and eating ticks off marine iguanas. They are rumoured to have been named after a Caribbean dancer, due to their agility in jumping from rock to rock, their ability to run in four directions and their capacity to climb up vertical slopes. This extreme agility makes them very difficult to catch. Adult crabs show characteristic intense blue and red colouring on their shells, with a white or pale blue underbelly. Younger crabs have darker colouration with red spots, providing a higher degree of camouflage. Every time the crabs moult their shell, the spots become gradually larger, until they obtain the adult colouring.
Female Sally Lightfoot crabs carry their eggs around with them on their stomachs until they hatch into the water. The larvae then swim out to deeper waters, where they consume phytoplankton and undergo a rapid series of moults. Eventually they undergo metamorphosis to become juvenile crabs and swim to shore, where they start to scavenge, becoming bigger and more colorful with each molt. These juveniles tend to travel in large groups until they reach maturity, after which they become largely solitary when not mating. When they are not mating or feeding, the crabs spend their time hiding in cracks in rocks. If they are disturbed, they may spray water or shed one of their legs as a defense mechanism.
Collectible Wildlife Gifts is the market leader in providing high quality, realistic toys of all types! Every one of our items is heavily inspected for quality craftsmanship and authenticity. Our products make great gifts for your family and friends! Additionally, our lifelike animal figurines and plush make for great displays and educational sets. We are happy to serve our wide range of clientele from parents to educators, gift shop owners and many more!
Our team works hard to ensure you get a great toy. All products from CWG are checked for quality to ensure you receive the order in perfect condition.
From plush sharks to educational animal growths cycle we offer the perfect toy or gift for any occasion. Our products have been ordered by educational groups, aquariums, zoos, and more.
Great customer service is guaranteed when you order from Collectible Wildlife Gifts, we want you to love your toy and have a simple ordering process, we are happy to assist with inquiries!
