The Velvet swimming crab also known as a Witch Crab, or Devil Crab is truly one of the most ferocious Marine Life animals, small in size but it is fearless and will fight to the death.
Unlike most crabs which mainly crawl, the Velvet Swimming Crab can swim! On its back legs are swimmerets, flat blades that allow for speed, agility and increased mobility in the water. With its fiery red eyes and its aggressive nature, it will pursue and hunt down its prey, which include small fish and prawns.
The Velvet swimming crab is one of the Marine life creatures that I have been working on during the lockdown. I really enjoy drawing crustaceans, with the intricate details on the shells and the patterns and tiny hairs on the legs.
This Velvet Swimmer drawing, is part of a fish poster project that I have been fortunate to work on. The first fish poster ‘Plymouth and its Fish’ was launched in 2018. The second is now underway and this crustacean is featured.
The posters commissioned by Plymouth Trawler Agents, not only highlight the varieties of species landed in Plymouth but also provide a useful Marine Life identification and educational guide.
With Plymouth Trawler Agents, and endless cups of tea, we agreed on another 43 marine creatures (so far….) This poster will feature quite different species that many will be surprised to find in our local waters, including a Stingray, a rather exotic looking Dragonet, many more rays, some sharks, a Sea Cucumber and an Urchin!
This Velvet swimming crab, was provided by Moby Nick my local Fish Merchant who managed to find some for me and this one, with all it’s limbs was the one I chose to draw.
This drawing is in the process of becoming a marine life etching…
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