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TALIEPUS NUTTALLII is a species of true crab. Commonly known as globose kelp crab, southern kelp crab or red kelp crab, these crustaceans are found from Santa Barbara to Magdalena Bay in Baja California, Mexico. Their habitats are rocky coastlines and subtidal kelp beds up to 250 feet in depth. These crabs have a body width of about 4 inches and vary from dark brick red to purple. They feed on brown algae and can reproduce every 30 days, holding as many as 60,000 developing eggs. This specimen was found on Coronado Beach. ■ Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Family: Epialtidae Genus: Taliepus Species: T. Nuttallii
44 Coronado365.com
