Huge, vividly colored crabs patrol the beach for algae
Sally Lightfoot crabs are possibly the most beautiful of all the crab species. Vividly colored in red and white with gold trim, these crabs are a sight to behold. Aptly named, they are incredibly quick and agile, making them almost impossible to catch. They inhabit almost all beaches and rocky surface in the Galapagos Islands, and other tropical areas, providing a janitorial service by ridding the beach of decaying vegetation and animal matter.
This large Sally Lightfoot is patrolling his beach on San Cristobal Island, gobbling up algae and any other edible material that will overrun the beach if not removed. This is a crucial role that prevents rot, stench, and bacteria that would be a threat to other animals, and even people wishing to use the beach.
In true crab fashion, this large fellow walks sideways on his eight legs, ready to make a quick dash for cover if danger appears. Birds and other crabs are the main predators of the Sally Lightfoot. Despite the vast numbers that appear along the intertidal areas of beaches, they are so hard to catch that few predators consider them a food source worth pursuing.
These crabs are vulnerable to a very specialized and disturbing parasite, the Rhizocephalan barnacle that effectively takes over the entire crab. It extends veins throughout the crab, even throughout the legs, resembling a root system, robbing the host of nutrients in order to feed. It will also destroy the sexual organs of the host crab in the process.
Sally Lightfoot crabs are a beautiful sight and a delight for tourists to photograph, as long as they remain still long enough to capture a well focused image. Their distinctive look has made them one of the more iconic animals of the Galapagos Islands.
-
1:11
WildCreatures
2 months ago $1.80 earnedFriendly goat loves a little head scratch
5.69K4 -
1:33:59
The Quartering
3 hours agoKamala Harris Panics As Old Clip Resurfaces, DOJ Places Public Bounty On Donald Trump & More
25.9K33 -
23:47
Stephen Gardner
1 hour ago🔴IT'S OVER! CONGRESS CAN'T HIDE THIS NOW | TRUMP'S LIFE IN DANGER!
51310 -
LIVE
Senator Ron Johnson
23 hours agoAmerican Health & Nutrition: A Second Opinion
4,051 watching -
2:02:13
Nerdrotic
4 hours agoDisney Star Wars Rey DELAYED | Thunderbolts Trailer RELEASED - Nerdrotic Nooner 430
29.7K11 -
54:05
The Kevin Trudeau Show
5 hours agoThe Real Science Behind Political Campaigns & More… | The Kevin Trudeau Show | Ep. 50
3.93K6 -
16:10
Josh Pate's College Football Show
2 hours agoTennessee Beats Oklahoma - Josh Pate Rapid Reaction
4.1K4 -
1:27:51
Russell Brand
4 hours agoCAUGHT: Covid Czar ADMITS To SEX ORGIES While MANDATING Vaccines & Lockdowns – SF458
122K187 -
1:01:35
Grant Stinchfield
3 hours agoKamala is a Wolf. Arresting Mother's with Sick Daughters!
15.5K11 -
1:57:54
The Charlie Kirk Show
3 hours agoKamala's Gambit: Flip North Carolina + Counting the Votes Correctly | Bowyer, Eyre, Bevan, Robbins
70.3K43