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

Cancer (Atergatis) subdentatus De Haan, 1835

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]

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. 1 2 P. Davie (2009). "Atergatis subdentatus (De Haan, 1835)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Red Reef Crab, Atergatis subdentatus - (de Haan, 1835)". Microcosm Aquarium Explorer. 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Michael Samways; Peter Hitchins; Orty Bourquin; Jock Henwood (2010). Tropical Island Recovery: Cousine Island, Seychelles. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781444333091.
  4. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 3 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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