Different habitats such as mangroves, mudflats, rocky shores and sandy beaches are home to numerous crabs adapted more or less to the life outside water. Most of the crabs inhabit different habitats or live on the edges of one habitat to the other.

Crabs living in rocky pools or shallow coral or crabs living in mangroves but mostly in the water cannot be generally classified as terrestrial, but are adapted to survive short or longer periods in dry conditions. They are included in this site.

 Habitats can generally be classified as following :

  Sandy beaches

• Description : The sand is white and is produced by the coral and washed on to the beach. High tides mostly reach the upper vegetation.
• Islands : Present on all islands. Surrounds coral islands completely.
• Species found :

Ocypode ceratophthalmus,
Coenobita brevimanus,
Coenobita cavipes,
Coenobita perlatus,
Coenobita rugosus.

Bush close but behind the beach, sandy soil

• Description :
• Islands : The whole surface of flat coral islands and on the flat areas near the seaside on granite islands.
• Species found : Ocypode cordimana, Birgus latro, Geograpsus grayi.

   Mangroves

• Description :
• Islands : Present on almost all granite islands.
• Species found : Scylla serrata, Thalamita crenata, Uca tetragonon, Uca chlorophthalmus chlorophthalmus, Uca urvellei, Clibanarius longitarsus, Epixanthus dentatus.

  Mudflats

• Description : Mostly present behind the beachside, and near mangroves.
• Islands : Present on most islands.
• Species found : Cardisoma carnifex, Neosarmatium meinerti

Rocky pools

• Description : Where there are rocks present near the sea. The rocks are submerged under the sea at high tide and leave small polls at low tide.
• Islands : Present on all granitic islands.
• Species found : Calcinus laevimanus, Eriphia sebana, Grapsus fourmanoiri, Grapsus tenuicrustatus, Trizopagurus strigatus, Zosimus aeneus.

Shallow and intertidal coral reef

• Description : The reef is submerged under the sea and is only above the water level during short periods of low tide.
• Islands : Present on almost all islands.
• Species found : Petrolysthes lamarcki, Calappa calappa, .

Freshwater

• Description : Small freshwater rivers
• Islands : Only granite islands : Mahe, Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue
• Species found : Seychellum alluaudi, Sesarma impressum