FAMILY : SACCULINIDAE
Species?

The large growth seen on the underside of this crab is the egg-sac of a parasitic female barnacle which has entered
the body of the crab and become sexually mature. A male will then enter into the female via this sac and become a
testis, turning the animal into a hermaphrodite and enabling it to fertilise itself. The effect on the crab is that it is
unable to moult and its ability to reproduce is greatly affected, even lost.

© All images Copyright 2010 Denis Riek. All rights reserved.