Species profile
Ocellate Lady Crab
Ovalipes ocellatus
At a glance
Ocellate Lady Crab (Ovalipes ocellatus) is a crustacean present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 4,321 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Paddle-shaped rear legs make it one of the fastest-swimming crabs in Atlantic coastal shallows.
- Carapace reaches about 9 cm wide, marked with a distinctive pattern of purple spots.
- Buries itself in sand with only its eyes exposed, ambushing small fish and invertebrates.
- Notoriously feisty—it grabs hard and clings even after being lifted from the water.
Where Ocellate Lady Crab are seen
Background
Ovalipes ocellatus is a species of crab from eastern North America. It is most commonly known as the Lady Crab. Other names for it include the Leopard Crab or Atlantic Leopard Crab due to the leopard-like rosette patterns on its shell, the Calico Crab (not to be confused with Hepatus epheliticus), or Ocellated Crab. It has a shell 3 in (7.6 cm) long and only slightly wider, which is covered in…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Ocellate Lady Crab article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other crabs/lobsters/shrimp on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.