Is this unique to my Pavona?

[melev]

I discovered this little guy two nights ago. I couldn't believe my eyes. I have a Pavona coral, and apparently this guy must be a Pavona crab! He doesn't come out and crawl around, but during the daytime he withdraws more deeply into the coral's protection.

I've looked at my reef a night many times, using a flashlight. I carefully study corals and the tiny stuff that zips about, but coming across this little guy was a surprise. I'll keep watching him to see if anything develops.

 

[DarkXerox]

So he burrowed that little hole or has the coral just grown around it? Thats crazy, kind of reminds me of a vermetid snail and how some corals just grow around them as if they arent a problem.

Edit: I just found this, its called a Hapalocarcinus marsupialis and it apparently lives in pavona corals by creating a gall structurehttp://www.dafni.com/crustacea/hapalocarcinidae.htm

 

[melev]

You can read hebrew? Good find!

 

[Sk8r]

So that would be a female, perhaps?

 

[SVXH6]

ive seen this before.. i have also seen them in Turbinaria Peltata (cup coral) as well.

 

[oddballs]

if its like some of the other coral (gall) crabs the male is larger and there may be a tiny female inside?i think.

 

[JonTarutis]

Isn't the female the one who is "trapped" and the male can come and go?
Melev... never noticed any gall crabs before in Pavona but I think now I'll keep my eyes peeled. Seen any others on the piece?

 

[64Ivy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7669076#post7669076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JonTarutis
Isn't the female the one who is "trapped" and the male can come and go?

Boy, THERE'S an irony for you. :sad1:

 

[kirstenk]

That is sooo cool!!

 

[melev]

I've been looking at the coral closely. I even took a picture of the spot to show you why it was invisible until now, which I'll post shortly. I've had this Pavona for almost two years, and another one for a year. I don't see any others, nor a likely spot where one might hide.

 

[melev]

Here's the coral, and the arrow is the spot where I discovered the lil guy. That entire shadowy spot is not its cave. Just a tiny segment of it is.

 

[JonTarutis]

lil girl