Atergatis subdentatus

Atergatis subdentatus, also known as the red reef crab,[2] dark-finger coral crab[2] or eyed coral crab,[3] is a species of crab in the family Xanthidae.[1]

Atergatis subdentatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Xanthidae
Genus: Atergatis
Species:
A. subdentatus
Binomial name
Atergatis subdentatus
(de Haan, 1835)
Synonyms[1]

Cancer (Atergatis) subdentatus De Haan, 1835

Description

Atergatis subdentatus from Karwar, India.

Atergatis subdentatus has a compact shape, and may appear either uniform crimson in colour, or may have an irregularly mottled yellow on a crimson background.[4] It has a broadly subquadrilateral carapace which grows to about 90 millimetres (3.5 in) wide,[3] and has finely punctulated by the anterior and antero-lateral borders.[5] It normally has an orange spot in the centre of the carapace, often with two small, white 'eyes' within.[3]

The arms have a flattish inner surface with two, inward-pointing teeth. Beside the teeth are brush-like hairs grouped together in four or five bundles.[5]

Distribution

The type locality for this species is Japan, and it can be found around many of the Japanese islands. It also occurs in the waters of Taiwan,[5] Singapore, and rarely in the Lakshadweep Islands and Gulf of Mannar.[4]

Habitat

This species lives on coral reefs and rocky beaches at a range of 3–30 m (10–100 ft) in depth.[4]

References

  1. P. Davie (2009). "Atergatis subdentatus (De Haan, 1835)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  2. "Red Reef Crab, Atergatis subdentatus - (de Haan, 1835)". Microcosm Aquarium Explorer. 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  3. Michael Samways; Peter Hitchins; Orty Bourquin; Jock Henwood (2010). Tropical Island Recovery: Cousine Island, Seychelles. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781444333091.
  4. R. Jeyabaskaran, Sayeeda Wafar & M. V. M. Wafar (2002). "Atergatis subdentatus". Brachyuran crabs of west coast, India. National Institute of Oceanography. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  5. Tsune Sakai (1976). "Atergatis subdentatus". Crabs of Japan. Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved August 17, 2012.

Further reading

Media related to Atergatis subdentatus at Wikimedia Commons

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