The blue-leg swimming crab is rather conspicuous but also quite rare. The carapace has three distinct teeth between the eyes and the last segment of the last pair of legs is flattened into a paddle. The upper side of the carapace is provided with rows of bristly hairs that often hold dirt or mud. This animal is very similar to the flying crab, Liocarcinus holsatus, but this last one can be identified by the smooth, hairless, very light coloured carapace.
Size
The carapace width of the male is up to 67 mm and of the female 56 mm.
Colour
The carapace is red-orange. The paddles are bright blue.
Habitat
Likes soft substrata where it can bury it self. They avoid hard substrata.
Distribution
Not common in the Mediterranean and Adriatic.
