Varunidae

Family: Varunidae

Group: Marine Invertebrate, Species

Scientific Name	Common Name	Summary
Hemigrapsus nudus	Purple shore crab	Hemigrapsus nudus is the most common high intertidal crab. It is differentiated, no matter what the color variation, by the purple spots on its claws. It is especially common in back bays, stream mouths, and any place with gravel and rockweed Fucus. Not only is the purple shore crab (as it's usually called) ubiquitous, but its molts are abundant at the high tide line, especially around July. This is usually the first crab that small children, tourists and brown bears find by turning rocks over at low tide, and outings at the beach wouldn't be quite the same without it.
Hemigrapsus oregonensis	Green Shore Crab	This very common crab looks somewhat like the Purple shore crab (Hemigrapsus nudus), except that it often lives lower in the intertidal area and in calmer spots, is generally somewhat smaller, and is usually greenish as opposed to purplish, without purple spots on the claws. For positive identification, such as of strange color variants or bleached molts, look at the legs: those of Purple shore crab (Hemigrapsus nudus) are distinctly less hairy, if they have any hair at all.