Charybdis natator | |
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C. natator in a fish market in the Philippines | |
Preserved specimen of C. natator | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Crustacea |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Infraorder: | Brachyura |
Family: | Portunidae |
Genus: | Charybdis |
Species: | C. natator |
Binomial name | |
Charybdis natator (Herbst, 1794) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Charybdis natator, the ridged swimming crab, wrinkled swimming crab or rock crab, is a widespread Indo-Pacific species of swimming crab from the genus Charybdis . It gets its name from the ridges on the dorsal surface of the carapace. It is a crab species which is of minor importance in fisheries.
Charybdis natator has a fan shaped carapace which is brown to orange in colour on the dorsal surface the ventral surface is bluish mottled with white and pale red spots and the legs are dark, reddish brown in colour. The carapace is densely covered with short pubescence which is absent on the distinct transverse granulated ridges in the anterior surface. There are six spines on each side of the carapace. There are eight small rounded lobes between the orbits which are set close together. The antennae are outside the orbits but are in contact with the supraorbital lobe at their base. The chelipeds are covered with large granules and/or squamiform markings and have distinct black tips with blue spots, this bright blue colour is also visible at the base of the cheliped. The anterior border of the merus of the cheliped has three spines with a single distal spine on its posterior border; the carpus has a robust spine on its inner angle and three spinules on its outer angle. The last pair of legs are flattened and can be rotated in a propeller like manner allowing the crab to swim in any direction. The maximum length is 17 cm. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
Charybdis natator is found throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans from eastern South Africa and Madagascar north to the Red Sea and across the Indian Ocean, including the Mascarene Islands and the Seychelles, to the western pacific where it extends north to Japan and south to northern Australia including Lord Howe Island. [3] [6]
Charybdis natator is a benthic species found in the inter-tidal zone and in the sub -tidal zone down to a depth of 60m and over a variety of substrates, including sandy or silty bottoms, rocky and coral reefs and beds of weed. It prefers to hide under rocks or stones. It is uncommon throughout its range, normally making up less than 2% of the numbers of crabs sampled. In the Red Sea females with eggs have been found throughout the year, although there is a peak between May and September. The eggs hatch 11–15 days after being extruded and there is a period of 7 days between the larvae hatching and the extrusion of the next brood. Fecundity is 181,000 to 961,00 eggs for each spawning and each female can spawn three times per mature phase which means that this is a rather fecund species. In most populations spawning occurs twice a year. The larvae have six zoeae stages and a megalopa stage and from the first zoeae stage to megalopa takes 28–44 days. [6] [2] [8]
Charybdis natator is an unimportant species for fisheries in eastern Africa [6] and in India it is the fourth most important swimming crab caught in the crab fishery [2] whereas in Taiwan and Australia it is much more important. [6] Because of the high rate of meat recovery C. natator may be suitable for aquaculture. [6]
The generic name, Charybdis , refers to a whirlpool in Greek while the specific name natator references its swimming ability. [6] It was named as Cancer natator in 1794 by the German zoologist Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst. There are two subspecies: [1]
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Portunus pelagicus, also known as the flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab or sand crab is a species of large crab found in the Indo-Pacific, including off the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam; and in the intertidal estuaries around most of Australia and east to New Caledonia.
Charybdis is a genus of swimming crabs in the family Portunidae. It is named after the monster Charybdis of Greek mythology.
Notomithrax ursus, known as the hairy seaweed crab, is a spider crab of the family Majidae.
Liocarcinus navigator is a species of crab in the family Portunidae.
Pisidia longicornis, the long-clawed porcelain crab, is a species of porcelain crab that lives in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean. It varies from reddish to white, and grows to a carapace width of 1 cm (0.4 in). It was first named by Carl Linnaeus in 1767, although the etymology remains unclear.
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Oregonia gracilis, commonly known as the graceful decorator crab, is a species of crab belonging to the family Oregoniidae. Like other decorator crabs it habitually attaches other organisms to its back. The sessile organisms are attached to hooked setae that act as a sort of velcro attachment. This decoration provides visual and chemical camouflage thus reducing predation risk. Pacific halibut are a major predator of O. gracilis. Other predators include octopus and sea otters. The main food source of O. gracilis is floating kelp and algae that they capture utilizing a waiting strategy in order to maintain cryptosis.
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Lybia tessellata is a species of small crab in the family Xanthidae. It is found in shallow parts of the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean. Like other members of the genus Lybia, it is commonly known as the pom-pom crab or boxer crab because of its habit of carrying a sea anemone around in each of its claws, these resembling pom-poms or boxing gloves.
Charybdis hellerii, the Indo-Pacific swimming crab or spiny hands is a species of crab from the swimming crab family, the Portunidae. Its native range covers the Indian and Pacific Oceans but it has been introduced to the western Atlantic and has invaded the Mediterranean. It is a commercially exploited species in south-east Asia.
Ashtoret lunaris, also known as the yellow moon crab, spotted moon crab or box crab, is an Indo-Pacific species of carnivorous crab which is a member of the family Matutidae. It has been recorded in the eastern Mediterranean since 2010, likely reaching it via the Suez Canal from the Red Sea by.
Notopus dorsipes is a species of frog crab from the family Raninidae which has an Indo-Pacific distribution and which has recently spread into the eastern Mediterranean. It is the only extant species in the genus Notopus.
Charybdis longicollis, the lesser swimming crab, is a species of crab from the swimming crab family, the Portunidae. It has a native range which covers the north-western Indian Ocean and it has invaded the Mediterranean Sea by Lessepsian migration through the Suez Canal.
Armases cinereum, also known as the squareback marsh crab or wharf crab, is a species of crab in the family Sesarmidae. The wharf crab is a small crab that is dark brown to muddy in color, which allows it to blend in with its usual surroundings. It is found on the Atlantic southeastern coast, down into the Gulf of Mexico. It is an omnivore and is prevalent in marshy coastal environments along the Southwestern Atlantic.
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Charybdis feriata, the crucifix crab, is a species of swimming crab in the family Portunidae. It is found in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific region.