The Common Shore Crab is also known as the Green Shore Crab and the European Green Crab. It can be found all around the English coast in rock pools under large stones and amongst bunches of seaweed. It can also be found in estuaries and is also well-adapted to living in diluted seawater.

The adult Common Shore Crab has a body width of around eight centimetres and  is usually a dark yellowy green colour. Younger crabs can be yellow, green or red with whitish markings. This crab has ten walking legs with two large pincers on the first pair and its right-handed pincer is bigger than the left. It also has two pairs of antennae of which one pair is quite long.

The female Common Shore Crab carries her eggs under her abdomen where they are attached to tiny legs called ‘swimmerets’. She carries the eggs around with her for several months until they are ready to hatch. When the larvae hatch out, they become part of zooplankton for a while before they move to the shore to develop into mature crabs.