Cove 2 Warbonnet

[Tangfish]

Is this a mosshead?

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1326/127 ... cb18_o.jpg" width="800" height="560" alt="Warbonnet"></a>

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1245/127 ... 8e80_o.jpg" width="800" height="641" alt="Warbonnet"></a>

Also, I've seen crabs mating, but the size differential between these two makes me think that it's a parental thing (either that or a fetish)

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1338/127 ... 7e0a_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Momma Crab?"></a>

[nwscubamom]

No, that's a Decorated Warbonnet. You can tell by both size and the unicorn projection on it's head! (among other things)

Males grab smaller females and run around with them in the pre-mating embrace, sometimes for days and days, waiting for the females to molt. They can't mate with them until they molt.

- Janna

Cool shot, btw, of the Warbonnet!!

[Grateful Diver]

Great shots Calvin ... while you will see occasional mosshead warbonnets in Cove 2, by far the decorated warbonnets are more common at that dive site ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Jan K]

Calvin, great photography. Your crab photo is actually showing the large male protecting the smaller female while she is molting. If you look closer, you willl see that the new shell is emerging. I was lucky to witness same once, unfortunately I run out of air before the whole process was finished.

[Zen Diver]

So, while the male is running around holding on to her for days and days, does she get to eat at all during this time?

-Valerie

[Tangfish]

Males grab smaller females and run around with them in the pre-mating embrace, sometimes for days and days

Wow. And I'd thought dinners and movies were a lot of work.