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Description With long hairy antennae this is a distinctive species,. Its shell is elongated (1 " long. ). The carapace has two short sharp projections located either side of the eyes.
Masked crab, helmet crab or sand crab, is a burrowing crab of the North Atlantic and North Sea from Portugal to Norway, which also occurs in the Mediterranean Sea It may grow up to 4 centimetres or 1.6 inches long (carapace length). The name "masked crab" derives from the patterns on the carapace which resemble a human face,
Habitat Living in the lower tidal sand it is not often seen as it burrows itself into the sand allowing the antennal tube to feed water to the Gills. This strategy allows it to be completely hidden and protected . It will literally bury itself on the spot
© Hans Hillewaert / , via Wikimedia Commons