New & now
Wow! Alien species known as the blue swimmer crab spotted in Maltese waters
The crab is usually typical to the Indo-Pacific region.

Emma Galea

During one of her free water dives, the underwater photographer and videographer, @malta_ginger_mermaid, spotted an unusual beauty.

She came across a massive blue swimmer crab. Such a spotting is an unusual one as this type of crab is an alien species to the Maltese islands.

It is usually typically found off the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

This crab seems to be very far away from his native habitat and environment!

Fellow underwater photographer, Karl Farrugia soon commented that there are “some MASSIVE ones in Qawra near Salini”.

The crab was first spotted in Maltese waters in 2015 and it is believed to have arrived in Malta due to the opening and widening of the Suez Canal earlier that year.

Have you ever spotted one?

Instagram/malta_ginger_mermaid

2nd August 2023


Emma Galea
Written by
Emma Galea
Emma is a Gozitan writer who loves all things related to English literature and history. When not busy studying or writing you will either find her immersed in a fictional book or at the cinema trying to watch as many films as she possibly can!

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