The Red Bait Crab (Plagusia chabrus) is a very common crab species that belongs to the ‘Shore crabs’ family Grapsidae. This crab is a very popular species with fishermen as it is commonly found and is excellent bait for fishing, especially for species such as the blue groper. The Red Bait Crab is found from Rottnest Island in Western Australia around the southern part of Australia to Newcastle in New South Wales. It is also found in the waters of Tasmania and New Zealand and in other countries such as South Africa and Chile.
The best way to identify this crab from other similar species is the very deep triangular notch that is between the eyes. The species can be found living subtidally on reefs down to depths of approximately 8 metres. The Red Bait Crab is known to feed on encrusting animals such as bryozoans, sponges and hydroids. Plagusia chabrus has a maximum carapace width of approximately 7cm.
