Sally Lightfoot on Algae

On our first afternoon after arriving at the airport on Baltra Island in the Galapagos, we cruised to a beach at Las Bachas, on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island.

There we found particularly photogenic Sally Lightfoot crabs (Grapsus grapsus). They are common throughout the archipelago, on the ubiquitous, rocky volcanic shores. Adults are often as bright as this, while juveniles are smaller and darker-though still sometimes with intriguing patterns. This adult is feeding on a rich bed of algae (as do marine iguanas--mainly underwater).

(Backblipped--for an overview, see 20 July)