Blue Velvet

Walking along the beach, my eye is caught by more than just a hint of blue. Closer inspection reveals the colour comes from crab - sadly just some legs, a fragment of the whole. I’m used to seeing tiny crabs washed up - usually in shades of terracotta, so this colour comes as a surprise. 

I wonder if this may be some some alien species, unusual to our shores, but back home my research suggests it’s just a velvet swimming crab - a distinctive crustacean with beady red eyes. Sadly, it’s now a shadow of its former self - but the beauty of the blue still shines. 

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/marine/crustaceans/velvet-swimming-crab, 

Thanks to Cathy 1949 for hosting Tiny Tuesday!