Visit Our Diving Center
View our Accommodation
  • Diving
    • Diving Courses
    • Freediving
    • Accompanied Diving
    • Unaccompanied Diving
    • Diving Pricelist
  • Accommodation
  • Special Offers
  • Our Services
  • Dive Sites
  • About Gozo
    • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Online Shop Dive Checkin
  • EN
    • FR
    • DE
    • IT
    • PL
  • Diving
    • Diving Courses
    • Freediving
    • Accompanied Diving
    • Unaccompanied Diving
    • Diving Pricelist
  • Accommodation
  • Special Offers
  • Our Services
  • Dive Sites
  • About Gozo
    • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
30. 08. 2019

Dromia personata (Sleepy Crab)

Home » Blog » Dromia personata (Sleepy Crab)
Sleepy Crab

Dromia personata, the Sleepy Crab (a.k.a. Porter Crab or Sponge Crab), is a species of crab found in the North Sea, the seas around Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, and connecting parts of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean.  Its slow movements are the origin of its name “sleepy”.

The genus Dromia belongs to the family Dromiidae, infraorder Brachyura, order Decapoda, class Malacostraca, subphylum Crustacea, phylum Arthropoda and kingdom Animalia.

The Sleepy Crab is covered with short hairs giving it a felted appearance.  Its pubescence colour is dark brown, whereas the naked tips of its chelipeds’ propodus and dactylus are pale pink or white.  Juveniles have varied colors.

The carapace of Dromia personata is sub-globose, dorsally vaulted.  In males it measures up to 65 mm x 78 mm, compared to the 63mm x 73 mm in females.  Its sub-median lobes are prominent, its median ventrally placed, with the cervical groove prominent.  The first segment of antennal peduncle is freely moveable and the excretory pore conspicuous.  The forehead has three triangular projections.  The antero-lateral edges of the carapace carries five strong teeth, the third obscurely bifid.

The Sleepy Crab’s chelipeds are stout and equal.  The inner surface of the propodus is covered in dense long setae, distally naked.  The fourth and fifth pereiopods are flattened, subdorsal and subchelate.  The female chelipeds are smaller than in the male; the male chelipeds are more robust, with the coxa (basal section) of the fifth pereiopod having a long penis.  The last two pairs of legs are positioned dorsally, and are used by young crabs to hold a sponge in place as camouflage, making it difficult to spot.

Dromia personata lives mainly in caves, from the lower shore to a depth of 8 metres, or occasionally to a maximum depth of 100 metres.  Adults of this species can be observed all year round.

Octopus, starfish and a variety of fish are predators of this crab.  Females are ovigerous in July with late zoeae in September.  There are four planktonic larval stages and one megalope.

The photo of this Sleepy Crab was taken at a depth of 16 metres inside Billingshurst Cave near Reqqa Point on Gozo’s north coast.

Photo taken by Brian Azzopardi

Related posts

Atlantis Boot 2023
22. 12. 202212. 01. 2023

Atlantis Gozo at Boot Dusseldorf 2023

Boot Dusseldorf 2023 Hall 12/A31.8 Once again, Atlantis Gozo will participate with our stand at Boot Dusseldorf starting on 21...

Read More
Merry Christmas
16. 12. 2021

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year 2022

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year 2022 Wishing you all the best ! Happy Holidays from the Atlantis Gozo...

Read More
Rebreather Corner - satisfied guests
25. 07. 2021

Latest News July 2021 – Satisfied Guests

Coming across satisfied guests may not be that difficult after all.  Being thanked or rewarded for your efforts is really...

Read More

Reviews

Tolles Center für Sport- Tec und Rebreather Taucher. Bestens zu empfehlen 😃, immer wieder gerne hier 👍.
Manfred Kleemann
Manfred Kleemann
2022-05-23T05:51:17+0000
Our club goes out to Malta/Gozo every year and Atlantis was by far the best centre we have dealt with. The communication building up to the trip was great. So helpful. Our club has a mixed range of diver levels and Atlantis made sure that all our levels was covered. On arrival the welcome was very warming. They couldn’t have been more helpful. Once the admin and kit issue was done we was on our way. The end I’ve every day the team was on hand to assist us making sure we was all prepared for the following day. Nitrox, stages, fills and so on. The end of our trip the staff even came to the apartment to say farewell and seen us off. One of our club members left their regs by mistake but the team contacted us and meet us at the ferry port to return them. Thank you so much!!! We will be returning next year.
Alex Lucas
Alex Lucas
2022-04-21T07:36:58+0000
Highly recommended dive centre! We got all needed services in very friendly atmosphere. Thank you!!
Gedimas Usack
Gedimas Usack
2021-11-27T20:24:01+0000
I did a package deal of 10 dives with Atlantis and was extremely impressed from the get go. The center was very well equipped and maintained and the staff were awesome, totally committed to making sure everyone was welcomed and having fun whilst keeping a high level of professionalism. The guides (Denis, Georgia, Apollo, George) were very knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend Atlantis to anyone looking for a solid and trustworthy center with fair prices. P.s. Go in November, its way less busy and the vis is still good!
Jakob Wayne Víkingur Robertson
Jakob Wayne Víkingur Robertson
2021-11-18T01:22:10+0000
awesome place awesome people!
Richard Binks
Richard Binks
2021-10-20T05:07:13+0000
‹
›

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news and special offers from the Atlantis Gozo Diving team! By doing so you agree to our Privacy Policy

Mailchimp
Sending
  • About Atlantis
    • Careers
    • Affiliates
  • Diving
    • Diving Courses
    • Diving Pricelist
    • PADI Courses
    • CMAS & VDST Courses
    • BSAC Courses
    • Speciality Courses
    • Accompanied Diving
    • Unaccompanied Diving
    • Technical Diving
    • Diving Equipment Rental
    • Freediving
  • Dive Sites
  • Holiday Services
    • Accommodation
    • Airport Transfers
    • Car Hire
    • Tours
  • Special Offers
  • Gozo
  • Gallery
    • Photo Credits
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 Atlantis Diving Center. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Refund Policy

Website designed & developed by