A Crab in Seaweed Clothes
An ocean sign's picture and words show how decorator crabs use seaweed and other sea life to hide.
Play the quiz as a gameA decorator crab has a clever way to hide. It puts bits of sea life on its shell. These bits help it blend in with the ocean floor.
An ocean sign tells about this crab. The heading is “A Living Disguise.” The picture shows a crab on a rock. It has green seaweed on its back. A small fish swims above it.
The words below the picture tell how the crab gets dressed. Tiny hooks on its shell hold the seaweed in place. The crab uses its claws to put the seaweed on those hooks. The words also explain that some decorator crabs use bits of sponge.
A caption beside the picture says, “Seaweed helps this crab hide.” A bare shell might stand out, making the crab easy to spot. With seaweed on top, the crab looks more like the seaweed around it. Both the picture and the words help us learn about its disguise.