Mallorca

"Crustaceans’ true habitat is found in the sea, invading the rocky shores and large depths in notable numbers.

Here we come across the European lobster, called llop manto by Mallorcans. It can reach a considerable size, as well as the abundant lobster present all year long in addition to the Scyllarus latus and the even more common S. arctus.

By contrast, much less frequent are the Squilla mantis and S. desmarestii, known on Mallorca by the name of galeras. On one occasion, the first of these was presented to me preserved in alcohol, as if it were a great rarity, though on other Mediterranean coasts, especially the Italian ones, they are a daily sight.

Something truly curious and worth noting is the abundance of spider crabs such as the Maja squinado which the Mallorcans simply call cranca (“crab”). Then there is also the cranc real (“royal crab”) in the vernacular, which is none other than the Calappa granulosa. Amongst the rocks and crevices of the breakwaters closing off the port of Palma, Carcinus maenas and larger numbers of Grapsus varius can be seen swarming, as is the case with different species of Portunus genus crabs.

Other varieties also call our attention either due to their extravagant shapes or their eye-catching colors. We could certainly call Stenorhynchus longirostris, Inachus dorynchus and I. thoracicus wandering skeletons, crabs generally known on Mallorca by the name of aranyes de mar (“sea spiders”). By contrast, Ilia nucleus (“garbanzo crab”) and I. rugulosa seem to us balls or beads in motion. Also worth mentioning are Pisa corallina, Mithrax dichotomus, the bristly crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, and P. villosus, Dromia vulgaris, and the well-known hermit crabs (Pagurus angulatus and P. timidus) which abound.

Calmer waters are home to numerous and transparent prawns, in particular Crangon fasciatus, Nika edulis, and the small shrimp, Palaemon varians and Treillianus, gambas for Mallorcan fishermen. Orchestia littorea and O. montagui jump around the sand, half-hidden amongst the algae, just like the common Idotea tricuspidata, so abundant even in the port of Palma as along the rest of Mediterranean shores."

Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria. Las Baleares por la palabra y el grabado. Majorca: General Part. Ed. Sa Nostra, Caja de Baleares. Palma de Mallorca. 1982.