ID: white crab under curly Q anemone

[jeffbrig]

Both hitchhiked in on a batch of FL aquacultured LR about 2 months ago.

This white crab lived in a hole under the anemone, which always I found strange. The anemone relocated to a different rock yesterday, and to my surprise, the crab seems to have moved with it.

This picture shows the anemone, and the crab's legs sticking out at the bottom.
http://home.comcast.net/~jbrigman/pics/curly_q.jpg

Here is a better picture of the crab, taken at night when the anemone was deflated.
http://home.comcast.net/~jbrigman/pics/white_crab.jpg

I've tried some google image searches, but haven't seen anything that resembles this. Can anyone help with a crab ID?

Thanks!

[wombat2]

There are several species of Mithrax crabs (and Alpheid shrimps) that are commensal with Curly cue anemones (Bartholomea sp.). It's a fuzzy pic but that would be my best guess.

[rshimek]

Hi,

Matt, [thanks].

I concur, probably a small Mithrax pilosus, but it is hard to tell for sure.

[wombat2]

Oh, sure Ron! :D

I didn't realize what forum I posted in. Someone linked me here from somewhere else. :lol: Sorry to beat you to the ID while you were out of town. ;)