A purple rock crab (Leptograpsus variegatus) strikes a pose on the shores of Waihau Bay, East Cape.
Patience and an expert eye allowed marine ecologist Chris Woods to capture this cute crab. Known as the purple rock crab, these elusive creatures live in upper intertidal rocky zones and are often spotted on exposed rocks, before scuttling away to safety when they detect a potential predator.
“I took this image whilst on my first post-COVID campervan trip. Ferreting around for local biota and non-indigenous marine species is part of my normal duty at NIWA, but I enjoy doing it in my spare time too. Crabs have an amazing morphology in the way their exoskeleton has evolved to different ecosystems and environments. I love the colours of this species and find crab ‘faces’ fascinating,” said Chris.