It is found in the Red Sea and parts of the western and eastern Indian Ocean.

The urchin crab is a brownish-pink colour and grows to a length of about 5 cm (2 in).

It has long-stalked eyes, a rounded carapace and long, slender legs.

It also resembles decorator crabs[2] but those actually stick living creatures such as sponges, hydroids and bryozoans, bits of algae and inert objects to their shells.

All these urchins have long, hollow spines and may provide protection to the crab by reducing the risk of predation by fish while not being too heavy to carry.