Multi-scale phenotype-substrate matching: Evidence from shore crabs (Carcinus maenas L.)

► Multi-scale studies of phenotype-environment correlations are rare. ► We investigate the relationship between cryptic colouration and environmental characteristics in the shore crab at a range of spatial scales. ► Phenotype-substrate matching in this species is sampling-scale invariant. ► We discuss how overlapping ecological processes (e.g. differential mortality, phenotypic plasticity and adaptation) explain these results.