Not your average crab (Credit: Colin L Maclay/Science Figure from ResearchGate)

Imagine an image of a crab in your head. There is little resemblance to this particular specimen.

This is because this particular crab camouflages itself from other shaven sea creatures.

This is a type of camouflage that helps crabs hide from potential predators.

The approach is similar to the hermit crab’s approach, but instead of a hard shell, it uses soft claws cut from nearby clouds.

The furry little guy identified as a new species is part of the cloud family and has been named The Marc Dromia Beagle..

The crabs were discovered after being washed ashore in Australia.  (Credit: Colin L Maclay/Science Figure from ResearchGate)

The crabs were discovered after being washed ashore in Australia. (Credit: Colin L Maclay/Science Figure from ResearchGate)

Discovered after being washed away on a beach near the Danish city of Western Australia.

“Extreme fluff was a gift to us,” Andrew Hosey of the Western Australian Museum told LiveScience.

“Sponge crabs are often furry, but it’s more like felt or velvet than this completely black fur.”

The hair helps camouflage the crabs from predators.  (Credit: Colin L Maclay/Science Figure from ResearchGate)

The hair helps camouflage the crabs from predators. (Credit: Colin L Maclay/Science Figure from ResearchGate)

According to scientists, the crab rises above the head of a cloud sheet and has a specially designed rear leg that forms a kind of shield on top of the crab.

Take

It takes “fur” from nearby clouds, picks it up with its hind legs, and pulls it over itself as a protective cover. (Credit: Colin L Maclay/Science Figure from ResearchGate)

Lamarckdromia beagles prefer shallow water and coral reefs to going out to sea because they need to find their hair to cover themselves.

The new species, along with 31 other sponge crabs, was reported in the Zutaxa Journal.