Two little clay figures in cute style, forefront is a pufferfish with large eyes

The second clay figure in a hand, a fantasy crab

Two little grey clay figures stacked, looking at the camera with oversized black eyes

Little guys for #Fishmas and #Crusmas day 14
#pottery, #ceramics

A suspicious lump of seaweed moves across the bottom of a rock pool. Or IS it a suspicious lump of seaweed? Decorator Crab (from “Faunaverse Wildlife in poetry Tasmania”) Those creatures in the rockpools have to put up with a lot, like stormy seas producing waves that crash, or a low tide on a summer's day that makes the water hot, it's a wonder they don't come out in a rash! Look in these water gardens and you may be quite astounded, that so many things can live in such a place; You'll see algae-grazing limpets that to the rocks are grounded, sea-anenomes that wave their arms with grace. But predators patrol these pools, there's gulls and hungry fish, that are quick to spot and eat unwary prey, but if you're quick or clever, you might not end up as a dish, or breed before you do so anyway. Let me introduce a friend, a master of disguise, who you might find in Tassie, if you seek, but you'll have to look so carefully, as this beast can fool your eyes, with its mastery of camouflage unique. The Decorator Crab is really very hairy, and each hair on his body bears a hook, and by this short description, it sounds a little scary, but you'll only see one if you really look. They use the hairy hooks to hold their camouflage in place, seaweeds plucked from pools that they inhabit, and although perhaps not pretty, like silk or bits of lace, a gull that cannot see it will not grab it.  So they don't attract attention, these crabs are never swift, and look just like the seaweed moving there, and to the most observant they are an unexpected gift, a clever crab with seaweed in its hair. ©Alexander Dudley

Merry #Crusmas - I present the Decorator Crab, Notomithrax ursus, and a #Poem about this amazing crab under alt text. #Oznature #zoology #wildlife #invertebrates

Zoomed in section of hermit tank focusing on substrate. White streak on left points down toward a hole on the sub where a hermit crab is half visible. There are a few inches between the streak and the crab.

Tfw an unidentifiable crabby drags calcium mix (white streak on the left) down into the sub as she starts trying to molt 😭 At least she’s letting us watch as an early #crusmas gift I guess 👀

#hermitcrab #moltcave #crabsmolting #molting

I'm trawling the #Crusmas hashtag looking for hermit crab pics to share with my hubby because he loves hermit crabs.