In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Fiddler Crab in 7 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Fiddler Crab.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Fiddler Crab - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Draw the body as a rectangle, with clipped, bent edges. There should be a low bump near the top where the face is.
Step 2: Add the eyes on either side of the bump, with circles at the end of short, slightly curved stalks. The antennae are simple two points just between the eyes.
Step 3: Draw the small cheliped on the left, which is a smaller claw. For the arm, draw a thin shape like the eye stalks, but longer. The claw can be drawn with a small oval at the end of the arm, with an opening down the middle to show the two pincers.
Step 4: Draw the left side legs. This is a row of four, with each leg split into two long segments, fanning out from the body.
Step 5: Draw the right side legs, same as the four on the left.
Step 6: Draw the big cheliped, which is a bigger, longer version of the smaller one on the left. This one should appear much wider and sharper, with ridges on the longer bottom segment.
Step 7: Add stripes to the body, which are distinct markings on fiddler crabs.
Interesting Facts about the Fiddler crab
The fiddler crab is a type of semi-terrestrial marine crabs that are commonly found on beaches and marshes in the Chesapeake Bay. These crabs are well known because of the male crab having one very enlarged claw that grows to be between 1.5 to 2 inches long and then one normal sized claw. The female crabs have two normal sized, small claws.
Did you know?
- The male fiddler crabs have a blue spot on the center of their shell
- When the fiddler crabs are trying to communicate with each other they will wave at each other and make other gestures
- These funny looking crabs will walk sideways rather than forwards or backwards like we do as humans
- Like all crabs, they will shed their shell when they grow as well as if they lose any of their four walking legs, they will grow back the next time their shell molts. Even if the male loses its large claw it will crow back on the opposite side.
- These crabs fill find their food by digging through the sand and mud looking for food particles such as algae and bacteria
- During the summer time, the male fiddler crabs will mate every two weeks by attracting females by waving their enlarged claw
How to Draw a Fiddler Crab – Step-by-Step Tutorial