Best of Mike #58

Over the years I have collected alot of pixtures of Arrowcrabs. They are plentiful, interesting to watch and pretty cute in a gangly sort of way.

During mating (not that I have ever actually seen that happen) the male places a sperm capsule on the female, that she then uses to fertilize her eggs.

She carries these eggs, on her swimming legs, until they are ready to hatch.

Once hatched the larvae swim to the surface to feed on plankton.

They go through a series of moults, eventually, emerging in the adult form, you see here.

Last post from our visit to Curacao ..... next stop Los Roques, a group of islands off the coast of Venezuela.