Mottle brown Columbus crab found washed ashore. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also referred to as Gulfweed crab or flotsam crab. Conspicuous eyes in wide orbits at the corners of the wide front edge of the carapace. First pair of pereiopods - or walking legs - with a symmetrical pair of chelae - or claws… Continue reading Columbus crab (Planes minutus)
Tag: Decapoda
Pondoland river crab (Potamonautes danielsi)
Crab hoping to intimidate its handler. Assegaai Trails, Eastern Cape (2020) - iNat Purple, reddish-brown or greenish-brown carapace, fairly uniform in color. Tips of dactyli - the part of the legs that touch the ground - and chelipeds usually displaying a lighter orange color. Smooth to lightly granulated carapace at the flanks and epibranchial regions.… Continue reading Pondoland river crab (Potamonautes danielsi)
Tuberculate crab (Plagusia squamosa)
Composite image of the dorsal and underside view of a juvenile tuberculate crab recorded from the samples I processed during my PhD. Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal (2022) - iNaturalist Also referred to as the scaly rock crab. Formerly considered a subspecies of Plagusia depressa (as Plagusia depress subsp. tuberculata). Similar to the Cape rock crab, except… Continue reading Tuberculate crab (Plagusia squamosa)
Pebble crab (Leucisca squalina)
Above and underside view of Leucisca squalina taken using a Leica microscope. Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal (2022) - iNaturalist Carapace is light brown, sub-circular, broader than long, with a smooth dorsal surface and a moderately bi-lobed narrow front. Eyes hidden beneath the front. Chelipeds about half as long as carapace. Legs not granulated. Male abdomen with… Continue reading Pebble crab (Leucisca squalina)
Yellow-banded hermit crab (Clibanarius virescens)
Specimen of yellow-banded hermit crab peaking out of a scaly dogwhelk (Nucella squamosa) shell and trying to flip himself. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Body olive-green. Nippers about equal in size, spotted with yellow. Fingers yellow with black tips. Walking legs banded with yellow. Between 10 and 20 mm. Abundant hermit crab in mid-to-high shore… Continue reading Yellow-banded hermit crab (Clibanarius virescens)
Sand shrimp (Palaemon pacificus)
Sand shrimp caught in a rock pool. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2022). Transparent, with vertical bars across the body. Opaque when preserved. Front legs with slender nippers and yellow spots at the joints. Rostrum well developed, toothed and almost saw-like. Between 25 mm. Lives in intertidal pools and shallow areas with a sandy bottom. Scavenges… Continue reading Sand shrimp (Palaemon pacificus)
Blue-eyed hermit crab (Calcinus laevimanus)
Both hermit crabs live in the shells of Lunella coronata (formerly Turbo coronatus). Port St Johns, Wild Coast, Eastern Cape (2021) - iNaturalist Also called left-handed hermit crab. Nippers dark brown with white fingers, that of the left side greatly enlarged to block the shell opening when the crab withdraws. Eyes blue, eyestalks and first… Continue reading Blue-eyed hermit crab (Calcinus laevimanus)
Green rock crab (Grapsus fourmanoiri)
Green rock crab cruising in a rock pool. Port St Johns, Wild Coast, Eastern Cape (2021) - iNaturalist Very similar to the Natal rock crab in structure, but dull khaki-green tinged with yellow and with pale nippers. The sides of its carapace are almost straight, not obviously convex as in the Natal rock crab. About… Continue reading Green rock crab (Grapsus fourmanoiri)
Natal rock crab (Grapsus tenuicrustatus)
Natal rock crab waiting for the waves on rock boulders. Port St Johns, Wild Coast, Eastern Cape (2021) - iNaturalist Carapace black, usually speckled with green. Sides obviously convex. The posterior part of the carapace has about eight fine grooves that run outwards to the edge. Legs red-brown and yellow. Nippers dark red. 'Hand' weakly… Continue reading Natal rock crab (Grapsus tenuicrustatus)
Shore crab (Cyclograpsus punctatus)
Small crab in a rock crevice. Jacobsbaai, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Carapace very smooth, except for a granular 'chest'. Sides of carapace convex, lacking marginal teeth, although a single low tooth lies just outside each eye. Nippers smooth. Body black or dark brown near the front, blending into a grey-green network towards the back.… Continue reading Shore crab (Cyclograpsus punctatus)
F*CK FISH 