Pachygrapsus marmoratus, also known as the marbled crab, is a species in the familyGrapsidae, the marsh crabs. The species is found in southern Europe and northern Africa, in the waters of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a dark violet-brown crab, with yellow marbling, and with a body up to 36 millimetres (1.4 inches) long. Asemiaquatic omnivore, it feeds onalgae and various animals includingmussels andlimpets. ThisP. marmoratus crab was photographed near the shore ofButrint Lagoon inButrint National Park, southern Albania, near the coast of theIonian Sea. The picture has beenfocus-stacked from 12 separate images.

Photograph credit:Charles J. Sharp