Macropipus puber
n??coras (spanish & galego), Velvet swimming crab., ??trille
From Galicia-Spain
wide 8 cm, very tasty


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The velvet crab (Necora puber), also known as the velvet swimming crab, is a small European crab in the family Portunidae. It has a broad, flattened carapace covered with short, dense fur, giving it a velvety texture. It is typically reddish-brown or dark brown in color, with blue spots on its claws.

The velvet swimming crab is found in the north-east Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It lives in shallow waters on rocky shores and in kelp forests. It is a fast and agile swimmer, using its paddle-like legs to propel itself through the water. It is a predator, feeding on small crustaceans, mollusks, and worms.

The velvet swimming crab is a popular seafood in some parts of Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal. It is typically caught in traps or nets. The meat is white and delicate, and it is often served cooked in its shell.

Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Polybiidae
Genus: Necora
Species: Necora puber (Linnaeus, 1767)
Synonyms
- Cancer puber Linnaeus, 1767
- Liocarcinus puber (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Macropipus puber (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Portunus puber (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Cancer velutinus Pennant, 1777