any ideas?

[blizz75]

any one know what crab this shell belongs to? i found it along with many others on the gulf coast of florida.

 

[mr. guitar]

That is the shell to a calico crab. Very common to the Gulf of Mexico. They are really cool to watch...when alive. haha.

 

[blizz75]

thanks i looked it up and u are 100% right, i have seen maybe 20 shells but never a living one how common are they?

 

[mr. guitar]

After goin to a Specimen Lab in Panacea, Florida this summer I learned a lot about those crabs. They had some in shallow tanks so you can see how they live. I've see quite a lot in the Gulf near Panacea, Apalachicola, and East Point. What part of Florida were you at when you found that? The reason why you only found the shells is that Sea Turtles love to eat them.