Diving in the Pacific Northwest can be challenging at times, the temperate water and massive amount of gear needed to stay warm and day but being able to swim and photography the amazing creatures that live here is something that is immensely rewarding.
One of those creatures is this colourful behemoth, the Puget Sound King Crab.
Puget Sound King Crabs, Lopholithodes mandtii, are members of the Anomura group. Millions of years ago this family originally evolved from hermit crabs, (the Paguridae family), and have since been described as “hermit crabs that have abandoned the practice of carrying shells”. In fact, the larval stages of Lithodidae appear virtually identical to those of hermit crabs and many aspects of the adult shape bear a resemblance to their hermit crab ancestors. More species of Lithodidae crabs are found in the Northern Pacific than in any other location on Earth, leading many researchers to make the conclusion that the family initially evolved in this cold, vast region.
Like hermit crabs, Puget Sound King Crabs are right-handed, the right claw being far larger than the left. Each of their claws are intended for a specific function. The left is used for more finesse tasks, while the right is designed for crushing and grinding. Do yourself a favour and don't get your finger trapped in the right claw of one of these crabs.
These crabs feed on almost anything, from barnacles to sea urchins, but Sunflower Sea stars are its favourite.
Primarily a deep-water animal, the Puget Sound King Crab prefers to dwell in rocky habitat in areas of strong current. They can often be found clinging to vertical walls or perched on top of small ledges, similar to those ledges favoured by bottom fishes such as Cabezon or Red Irish Lord.
The colours of a Puget Sound King Crab are truly stunning – there’s virtually no other word for it. As juveniles they are monochromatic – a solid bright orange that at first thought would seem to make them easy to spot. However, many invertebrate animals in the Pacific Northwest are the same brilliant orange - sponges, anemones, cup corals, tunicates and gorgonians, to name a few – so being orange is actually a fairly decent means of hiding while being in plain sight! Often a direct beam from a diver’s light is the only means of spotting one of these beautiful creatures.
Juveniles also have several “cone-like” peaks on their carapace that appear quite remarkable and significantly fade with the onset of adulthood. Once a juvenile reaches approximately two inches or more across the carapace they will begin to assume the colour scheme of an adult crab – a gorgeous array of yellows, oranges, reds, purples and blues. Fully grown adult Puget Sound King Crabs can reach 30 cm (12 inches) across their carapace.
Puget Sound King Crabs are migratory, living most of their lives below recreational diving depths, but in the early winter moving to shallower water as part of their molting and mating cycles. Then returning to deeper water again after they have mated and molting is completed. The exact life span and life cycle of these crabs is unknown due to the difficulty to observe them during most of the year.
Finding one of these incredibly colourful underwater mountains is truly a treat. Their vibrant colours are perfect for snapping some amazing images. These crabs are slow moving and are quite fragile right after they have molted, please be careful when interacting with them.
Happy diving and good luck.
Scott.
For more stories and images - http://www.scottstevensonphotography.ca/
Wonderful photo!
beauty
These photos are epic! I always love to see underwater pictures. The colors are awesome and the photos are great.
Nice photos.
My heart is racing, I'm pretty much in love with everything in the Pacific; the coral reefs are overwhelming and the fauna associated with corals is truly amazing.
The brilliant and bright colours protect their bearers from UV radiation and also help them hide in plain sight, this is called crypsis and can be found almost everywhere, from these incredible crabs to some gekkos in Madagascar.
In the Atlantic ocean there's also crypsis but backgrounds are brownish, greenish or other sober colours; therefore, animals and algae are brown, dark green, gray...
I'm really happy you found this spiky friend and could take pictures of it :)
my underwater pictures are always washed out, how do you get the colors to pop?
really very interesting creatures
I wish the waters were so clear in India. It's so beautiful. you're lucky.
wow!! waesome.nery nice photography.
i like this...
thanks a lot for sharing..
Very intense color!
Awewsome animals and nice pics! Steemit on! (;
wooow!! amazing photos!! beautiful crab!!! I did not know that the king crab existed!
discovering new world amazing
Beautiful photo's. Where in the norther pacific did you take these pics?
such a really wonderful thing to discover all the beautifull creations in the deep of the see love the shots
What an amazing post. I love all kinds of marine animals, and would love to explore their world one day. But what I have found more interesting about your post is that the crab is right handed. I once had a tropical take and had vampire crabs, they were amazing in color as they were purple. Thank you for sharing your amazing pictures, a definite upvote and follow as would love to see more.
Debe ser una experiencia muy alucinante explorar la naturaleza marítima sin duda a sido uno de mis sueños poder ser un buceador creo que es lo mejor ¿cierto?.
Great post! I follow you :) https://seeninbg.wordpress.com/
good post, I resteem it
You are really my friend. it is not in vain that I always follow it, you always show the greatness of the extraordinary nature.
Wow I never seen anything like that before, look at that colors. How deep in the water exactly do they live?
Anyone lucky enough to try Scuba diving should, It's an experience you will never forget.
Great article btw x
Amazing photos, keep it up!
I think these see animals live in the benthic zone where light can't reach..... And they are phagocytic in feeding behavior...... Nice shots
Those are beautiful! Great shots, as always. If you're diving to get the pictures of them now then you're really brave. It's not freezing outside, but it's still chilly.
I've lived in the PNW for years and have never seen one of these, even though I spent a lot of time at the beach. Must be because they were farther down than I could put my face in. I mainly hang out in the shallows. Still, if it's sunny enough outside, I love to be in the water!
I have never seen anything that is as beautiful as nature... Lovely post. I love it.
Just amazing! This is the one of the best post I have ever seen on Steemit. Well done! please keep going! Love and Peace from Spain!
Amazing photos, with a great story! I can't believe how colourful they are! While we were in Gigante Nicaragua we often had blue crabs enter the house we were staying in. It was hilarious how they scuttle around. They were very pretty, but these king crabs... Holy smokes! Thanks for sharing!
a beautiful incredible crab, it must be a real problem to dive in that place to be able to have it, you have my admiration to have exposed you in that way to capture these incredible pictures, BRAVO .....
this is an amazing discovery, congratulations friend.
Its my first time seeing crab like this.
Looks scary and poisonous.
But i love the different kind of color it has.
Is it ok to eat that? Haha
I only say these photos are so good. Congratulations!
Excellent article Scott.
I have yet to take my camera into cold waters but it can be difficult enough taking photographs in warm tropical waters. I can appreciate the effort it must take to get images like these when you can't feel your fingers!
This will be the first article I resteem.
Fantastic post greetings
Man oh man! Those colors are unreal!!
That is INTERESTING ♦♦ I've Taken #marine #biology, & yet I didn't know about this .
It is a Really colorful freak of #nature, isn't it? Wow - gorgeous colors.
Definitely I Do recall learning about the hermit crab. Just not about the King Crab !
PEEPS who might enjoy reading up about Puget Sound (WIKIPEDIA):
P.S.
I've spent time up in Washington area (and Have been out on Puget Sound & up to Friday Harbor Island for a #Family Reunion) -- but never went diving there -- You're fortunate indeed, & am a bit envious
Wow you got some real great photos dude! Need some aerial photography! :)
i enjoy your post ^^! Thanks.
good!.
Very cool
They're amazingly beautiful for such lumpy-shaped crabs. :-)
happy today for you!
Your photos make me want to get into underwater photography something fierce! I absolutely love diving and I think photography is a great way to share that passion, especially when the photos look as good as yours!
I haven't made my way into cold water diving yet, would you say it's hard to adjust to as I've only been diving in the tropics where I can dive in a rash vest and shorts?
Thats beautiful
fofllow me to see some amazing photos
Wow. Diving is so nice. I never saw this creature before.
I put this one one my bucketlist as well.
I am still waiting for a whaleshark
Ha ha I've never seen anything like this before. Thanks.
so beautiful
very impression your post, I really like, I want to like you what is its secret?
if you wish please visit my blog, i need your support .thank you https://steemit.com/@muliadi
These photos are insane! You dove in icy water for these?! They were well worth it because I never even realized we had techincolor crabs living near the PNW.
You truly captured the briallance of these animals. They look menancing and beautiful.
good information