CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO, March 20, 2010 -- In and around the greater Los Cabos area of Baja California, an abundance of small crabs is found in and around the rocks along the beaches.

All of these crab species belong to the order Decapoda and are characterized by having five pairs of legs with three to eight thoracic appendages having become integrated into the head to function as mouthparts.

The nine small crabs shown here have not been identified.

Other crabs from the tip of Baja California represented on this website include: Panamic Arrow Crab, Small Arched Box Crab, Blue Claw Purple Crab, Ghost Crab, Kelp Crab Sp., Southern Kelp Crab, Lumpy Claw Crab, Sally Lightfoot Crab, Shame-Face Crab, Shell Crab, Red Rock Crab, Purple Shore Crab, Yellow Shore Crab, Flat Spider Crab, Harbour Crab, Panamic Spider Crab, Cuata Swim Crab, Red Swim Crab, Sand Swim Crab, Rough Swim Crab, and the Pelagic Red Crab. Description and photos by John Snow.

Unknown brown reef crab. Size 1 cm. Unknown red reef crab. Size 1 cm. Unknown red and white crab. Size 2 cm. Unknown tidal pool crab. Size 5 cm. Unknown tidal pool crab. Size 5 cm. Unknown deep water crab. Size 2 cm. Unknown crab. Size 2 cm. Unknown swim crab. Size 5 cm.