E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Wildlife of British Columbia

Hemigrapsus oregonensis (Dana, 1851)
Green Shore Crab
Family: Grapsidae

Species account author: Josephine Hart.
Extracted from Crabs and their relatives of British Columbia.
Photo of species

© Liz Watkinson  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #3967)

E-Fauna BC Static Map
Distribution of Hemigrapsus oregonensis in British Columbia
Details about map content are available here.

Species Information

Carapace surface somewhat uneven; front with two lobes; antero-lateral margin almost straight and cut into 2 teeth which are more prominent than those of H. nudus; there is an impressed H medially. Chelipeds smooth, stout and with long fingers irregularly toothed. Walking legs with setose margins.

Size

Carapace: male 36 x 49.5 mm, female 31 x 42 mm.

Colour

Great variation; patterns resemble pebbles, among which these animals are often found. Commonly carapace grey-green with dots and patches of light grey and brown with a narrow white, or light-coloured marginal band and white crescents posteriorly. White ventrally. Chelipeds white with green and brown areas; fingers light brown with green streaks. Walking legs cream and green with dark brown or purplish pigment spots forming indistinct bands; dactyl light with 5 rows of dark seta. Eyestalk cream and grey with small dark brown dots; cornea black with silver flecks.

Habitat


Littoral and perhaps slightly lower intertidally than H. nudus; under rocks on muddy beaches, in short burrows on tide flats and muddy lagoon margins. They tolerate considerable brackish or fresh water and even short periods out of water.

Distribution

Range

Resurrection Bay (60°0’N, 149°17’W), Alaska, to Gulf of California, Mexico; intertidal.
Distribution In British Columbia

Common.

Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)
COSEWIC
UnlistedUnlistedUnlistedUnlisted
BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.

Additional Photo Sources

General References


Recommended citation: Author, Date. Page title. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2021. E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia [efauna.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. [Accessed: 2023-09-24 11:05:30 AM]
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© E-Fauna BC 2021: An initiative of the Spatial Data Lab, Department of Geography, UBC