I've never seen anything like this thing I just found, maybe someone can help me. I don't have a picture of it, I hope I can give an adaquate description. Its color was a violet-purple, its body was an oval shape, and it has several? pairs of crab-like legs protruding from underneath. Although the body was an oval shape and seemed solid, it actually had a translucent "skirt" around the whole thing that seemed thin like a jellyfish. When I first looked in, I thought it might be one of the mushroom polyps that had turned color and taken a turn for the worse but then I noticed the legs. I can't seem to think of the proper way to describe it-it was that strange. If anyone has any ideas, pictures, etc. that can help it would be greatly appreciated.
Strange Creature
- Thread starter SgJsg35
- Start date
Wow!
Ok first can you count the legs?
can you catch it to get a better look ?
if it has 8 legs then almost for sure it's a crab or related
6 would be an insect.
on top could you see any form of "EYES" ?
it might be one of the isopods but I think not....
oval shape -- was the top smooth or rough ?
was the shape curved or angles ?
did the top seem to be one large pice or made of segments?
some crabs look totaly strange so it might be an ugly crab.
any antena ? claws ?
is the top soft or hard ?
size ?
Ok first can you count the legs?
can you catch it to get a better look ?
if it has 8 legs then almost for sure it's a crab or related
6 would be an insect.
on top could you see any form of "EYES" ?
it might be one of the isopods but I think not....
oval shape -- was the top smooth or rough ?
was the shape curved or angles ?
did the top seem to be one large pice or made of segments?
some crabs look totaly strange so it might be an ugly crab.
any antena ? claws ?
is the top soft or hard ?
size ?
It looked soft, not a crab. About the size of a nickle but oval. The strangest thing was the translucent 'skirt' around the whole of its body. As I said, the closest thing I could compare its 'flesh' to would be a jellyfish or anemone. you could actually see the 'skirting' move with the current but the body was solid in the middle and the whole thing was a nice violet-purple color. I didn't see any antennae but their was a some sort of lighter spot on top towards the front that was in the area I would guess to be the head. I just saw it again and caught it. It didn't have legs, it must have been on top of a hermit crab. Its underbody was white and plain and the translucent purple 'skirting' covers the whole of its body. The white part felt hard when I tried to get it out with hemostats and it was firmly attached to the piece of live rock.
mystrybird
New member
Could it be some type of Chiton?
Ok try this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiton
note that there a many of them some small, different colors etc....
the stuck on rock bit pushes me to say it's a Chiton and not a nudi as they (as far as I know) can't fasten down.
or a limpet ? covered with purple coraline ?
the foot beeing white and then the fasten to rock ...
mystrybird
New member
My best guess is Chiton because of the "skirt" & lack of antennae.
That description is what got my attention...
Without a pic... I will stick with Chiton...
That description is what got my attention...
Without a pic... I will stick with Chiton...
dc, that is exactly what it was. It must have been on top of a hermit crab when I first noticed it, thats why I thought it had legs. Is it ok in my tank, Ive never heard of a shield limpit and its not in my book? I damaged its top membrane when I was trying to catch it, will that heal?
