The Pink Hairy Squat Lobster is tiny, and grows no larger than 1.5cm from tail to tip. They are also not really a lobster, and as such are more commonly named ‘Fairy Crabs’, given their intensely pink-purple colourations. They belong to a genus of crab, Anomurans, which are in the sub-order closely related to hermit crabs.

This species are extremely rare due to their specific habitat requirements amongst sponges and soft coral habitats. They are typically found living on Giant Barrel Sponges (pictured here), and will reside between the folds and projections of the sponge’s external layers.

The Giant Barrel Sponge itself is a marvel of nature, hosting myriad invertebrates and bacteria, while filtering the surrounding reef waters for nutrients. The oldest recorded Giant Barrel Sponge is estimated to be ~2,300 years old, and it is likely that they can live much longer. They are affectionately known as the ‘Redwoods of the Reef’.

This print is set on 310g/m² Fine Art Satin Paper (Gloss).

A4 paper dimensions: (210mm x 297mm)
A3 paper dimensions: (297 x 420mm)
A3+ paper dimensions: (329 mm x 483 mm)

White Border: print will be inset from the edge of the paper
No Border: print will fill the paper edge to edge