This little Flame Box Crab (Calappa flammea) washed up on the beach on Gasparilla Island Beach State Park.
Not uncommon, but rarely seen, the Flame Box Crab quickly burrows in the sand when exposed.
The larger of it’s claws can give a surprizingly nasty pinch.
It also uses it’s claws as a defense by closing them in front of it’s mouth and eyes.
There is always lots to see on Florida’s Gulf Coast Beaches.
Come on down….visit and explore!
Steven Scott
Steven Scott is a photonaturalist blogger based in Florida and Maine. He has surveyed butterflies with Earthwatch Institute in the mountains of Vietnam, tagged juvenile snook with Mote Marine Laboratory in the mangroves of Florida and filmed a BioBlitz insect survey in Acadia National Park. A registered nurse and retired Army officer, Steven believes man is an integral part of nature and travels annually to Vietnam with humanitarian medical teams from Vets With a Mission.
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