Giant Cave Crab

Cave Crabs are enormous crustaceans living inside the Air Pocket Caves, being one of the more common sights. They are highly social omnivores, and are only aggressive when another species gets too close to them. Their most effective weapons are their large claws, with their spiky shells serving as protection. Their claws can also make a fairly loud snapping sound when clicked.

Basic Information

Anatomy

These creatures have bulky compact bodies with spikes on top of the shell. They have long sturdy legs, and claws as large as a human head. Their four eyestalks are small, only made to see the Armored Proboscis Worm sneaking up on them, able to cleaned of any dirt with their mouthparts.

Biological Traits

Male Cave Crabs will have slightly larger claws, as well as spines covering the front of their faces, meanwhile females have larger gonopods to help with the handling of the eggs.

Genetics and Reproduction

Male crabs often have larger claws, and will compete with other males over the right to mate. These duels are often very short, and consist of them using their claws to wound each other's heads. The duels end once one crab is too exhausted to continue, and rarely ends when one dies. The victor gets to mate if he desires, and the eggs will be laid in a carefully crafted nest made of a soft bed of algae, usually a variety that is not part of the crabs' diets. The group will then cease activity until the young hatch, forming a safeguard around the parents, while some scout the caves to find food.

Growth Rate & Stages

Cave Crabs are born appearing just like their parents, only lacking protective spikes on their shells, as well as having relatively weak eyes. For a long period of time, they will stay on their mother's backside, while their group travels to find a meal. After only a little bit of growth in size, the young will begin walking on their own, with their mother teaching them to tear apart a carcass, should they come across one. In adulthood, some of the young will leave in small groups in order to create their own. They always stick with their siblings for added protection, as their defensive strategies most often involve one member of the group distracting a predator while the others flee. 

Ecology and Habitats

These crabs live in the Pocket Caves, and they will travel vast distances to find a meal. Most often, they have ben observed traveling with at least some other members of their species. Some varieties that live underneath the Dunes spend their time digging through large piles of sand to get where they need to, and others under the Pits have to wade through streams of gases.

Dietary Needs and Habits

These crabs favor eating the algae that grows in the Pocket Caves, but will also scavenge off of dead Ambulochinas and Ground Crawlers. They can also actively hunt prey if they get desperate enough, able to kill them by having their group surround them and back them up into a corner.

Biological Cycle

Sometimes, plants can get caught in the grooves in their shells, especially the Roof Vines. Cave Crabs that live underneath the Forests have several different plant types building up on their shells, with some having to cut away plants with their claws.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Cave Crabs will normally form large groups with each other in order to have a chance of survival. When a predator attacks, some members will rush forward and claw the threat, distracting it while the rest of the group runs away. The attackers then scatter, and are usually able to find their way back to the others. Sometimes, the group can get scattered altogether, where each smaller group will then part their separate ways and attempt to find other crabs to form a group with. These crabs don't appear to survive well on their own, but it is possible.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Cave Crabs have four eyestalks which are very poor in comparison to their hearing and smell, which they most often use to get around in the darkness.

Scientific Name

Munidopsis aichmiros

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

4 ft.

Average Weight

360 lbs

Average Physique

Bulky

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Dark green skin, black eyes

Geographic Distribution

• The Air Pocket Caves

Average Intelligence
Average