CRINCH! The Crab of the Day!

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/24/2016: Trapezia bidentata, known as The Rusty Guard Crab AND The Two-Tooth Guard Crab is a Brachyura species found in Indo-Pacific and Hawaiian waters. This little guy seldom reaches more than 1 inch in width, making it exceptionally hard to spot against the similarly colored Cauliflower and Antler corals it lives on. (Acropora and Pocillopora.) Primarily nocturnal, T. bidentata ventures out mainly to feed on plankton and/or mate.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=443875
http://eol.org/pages/1024091/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/25/2016: Cyrtomaia owstoni or the Osutongani (ｵｰｽﾄﾝｶﾞﾆ) is a deep-water family inachidae species found primarily in far-East Asia, namely Japan and Korea. This spiny, long-armed crab spends most of its days staying submerged in sediment, competing with primitive brittle stars such as Ophiocanops fugiens for detritus to eat.

This species was first nailed down by Japanese zoologist Terazaki Tomekichi in 1903 on a survey of Japanese and Korean sea life. This expedition is noteworthy in that Terazaki described several species of crab in the region, and numerous other animals while STILL A STUDENT! Wow!

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=441889
http://www.eol.org/pages/4265421/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/26/2016: Percnon abbreviatum or the Abbreviated Rock Crab (Sometimes the Green Flat Rock Crab.) is a fairly Uncommon Indo-Pacific through French Polynesian species from family Plagusiidae. This crab spends its time under stones, looking for a quick bite- though can readily flee VERY QUICKLY should the need arise. Ordinarily, Percnon crabs are considered some of the most ‘curious,’ as they often engage in odd behavior. These include, but are not limited to riding on fish species they normally don’t associate with, and carrying odd bits of sea junk not used for food or camouflage.

Another strange bit of taxonomic trivia about genus Percnon; it is "doubtfully placed" in the family Plagusiidae, (as there isn’t a super strong argument against doing so) and has at other points in time, been included in the family Grapsidae.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=207575
http://species-identification.org/speci ... an&id=1753

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CRINCH! THE BONUS #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/26/2016: The “Catch Me Crabbie” is a fairly amazing baby toy, PERFECT for snapping toddler fingers with those unsafe-looking claws. The Lil’ Tikes product description states “Babies will have lots of fun chasing after the Catch Me Crabbie. There is a motion sensor inside so, when baby approaches, Crabbie moves side to side clapping his claws and playing music.”

You know what this says to me? BABY FIGHTING CRAB DRONE WITH BATTLE SOUNDTRCK!

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/27/2016: The Sarasvati Anemone Shrimp or Ancylomenes sarasvati, (formerly Periclimenes Sarasvati) sometimes called The "Jelly Cleaner Shrimp," is a stunning West Pacific species of Commensal Anemone Glass Shrimp. These transparent-purple lovelies live in symbiosis with anemones, mushroom corals, and other reef critters- occasionally hitchhiking their way into saltwater tanks. A. sarasvati must take care to stay near the protection of stinging anemones and the like, as their color and relatively slow walking speed make them an easy mark for a variety of fishes that love to chomp them!

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=514494
http://eol.org/pages/7160738/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/28/2016: The Cryptic Teardrop Crab or Pelia mutica is a tiny decorator crab common all throughout the Caribbean. This diminutive reef-dweller will camouflage itself using bits of sponge or algae ‘cemented’ to highly specialized setae or hairs on its triangular body and flattened legs. Typically found at the 5m – 50m depth range, Cryptic Teardrop Crabs are often seen at night, hanging out on fire coral.

Decorator crabs must perpetually be in close contact with sources of new decorations, as after molting the crabs are effectively naked, making them easy targets for predators.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=158440
http://eol.org/pages/1038060/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 02/29/2016: LEAP YEAR EDITION! Rochinia crassa, also known as The Inflated Spiny Crab is a family Epialtidae species with some long-ass legs and REALLY long-ass claws! The distinctly slender chelipeds in adults are so frickin’ long, they can be approximately four times the length of the carapace! This species is found in the western Atlantic including the Gulf of Mexico, and ranges from Nova Scotia, Canada in the north, to Massachusetts and Texas in United States waters. It also occurs from northern Cuba to Colombia and French Guiana. R. crassa usually makes its home in the soft bottoms, and ooze at depths up to and 1,216m!

http://eol.org/pages/318424/overview
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=107360

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/02/2016: Telmessus acutidens, or the Toge Kurigani (トゲクリガニ) is a Korean/Japanese native species of shore crab whose name translates as “Thorny Chestnut Crab.” This probably stems from the fact that T. acutidens is covered with hair-like spines that actually resemble the thorny hairs on a chestnut pod. Typically ranging from the west coast of Hokkaido and southward to Korea Channel, this crab is regularly eaten in the cuisines of both countries. This becomes somewhat dangerous as these family Cheiragonidae crabs can accumulate toxic levels of shellfish poison from the prey mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis and causative dinoflagellates, Alexandrium tamarense.

http://species-identification.org/speci ... an&id=1038
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=440406

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/03/2016: Albunea catherinae or Catherine's Sand Crab is an Albuneidae genus mole crab, found in the Southeastern US Atlantic and Parts of coastal South America. Widely collected by fisherman for use as bait, these tiny decapods typically stay hidden by digging into the sand, only to emerge at low tide. Believe it or not, if you’ve been to a beach, you’ve probably seen the vent holes from some variety of Mole Crab or other. As with other Mole Crab species, the sex ratio of A. catherinae is slightly, but consistently, female skewed; most likely as a means of reproduction success.

Albunea catharinae can be differentiated from other Mole Crabs by the finely serrated carapace edge at the front of the head.

http://eol.org/pages/318434/overview
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=387506

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/04/2016: The Red-jointed Fiddler Crab or Uca minax is a species of US Atlantic fiddler named obviously, for its distinct red joints. Like all species of true fiddler crabs, Males have one EXTREMELY pronounced claw which is used primarily for ritual combat and mating selection. Aside from the claw situation, U. minax can survive short periods of immersion in freshwater as they have a great tolerance for lower than usual water salinity. In the wild, these crabs live on muddy shores, but are also sold widely domestically in pet stores. These crabs habitually eat immersed in small puddles of water, so they can separate edibles such as cordgrass from trash.

Speaking of mating behavior, these little guys do it in elaborate fashion! Courting male Uca minax can actually produce sounds, 1 to 4 seconds in duration, composed of two to nine pulses between 300 and 600 Hz. Following mate selection, males will make TWO burrows: a dwelling, and a ‘Love Nest.’ While mating occurs in the latter, following a solid last meal for a while, the male seals the female into the former with a mud plug, from which she emerges two weeks later to release her eggs into the ocean.

http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/53742
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=158461

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/05/2016: Callinectes similis, The Lesser Blue Crab is a Western Atlantic species of swimming crab. Like all swimmers, C. similis possesses the paddle-like last-row pereiopods, allowing the species its marine mobility! Lesser Blues live in marshes and estuaries, being the dominant crab in open bays as they’re capable of surviving on plants, fish, polychaetes, mollusks, detritus, and even other crabs!

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=158055
http://eol.org/pages/1037672/details

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/06/2016: Oregonia gracilis or The Graceful Decorator Crab is a great family Oregoniidae species, common to the central Californian through Alaskan and Japanese Pacific coasts. Like other decorators, O. gracilis attaches other organisms to its back as a means of camouflage through the use of specialized hooked setae. (hairs) In contrast however, this crab decorates more liberally than any of the other decorator crabs in the greater pacific, using a greater volume and a greater variety of coverings.

http://eol.org/pages/290002/details
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=442171

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/07/2016: Japanese Freshwater Crab, or Geothelphusa dehaani (Sometimes called “Zi Han's Crab” [漢氏澤蟹] in China or “Kawakani” [川蟹] in Japan.) is a family potamidae species endemic to Eastern China and Japan. Being amphibious, this little color-versatile guy frequents river and stream banks, searching for aquatic and terrestrial insects to eat. Despite being a favorite food of many species of Asiatic toads, G. dehaani nevertheless has a high propensity towards adaptation and potential invasiveness.

http://species-identification.org/speci ... an&id=1614
http://eol.org/pages/4270178/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/08/2016: Raninoides loevis or the Furrowed Frog Crab is another one of those oddly shaped family Raninidae species found in the Atlantic from the Florida Keys, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific coasts of Panama and Colombia. Dwelling primarily on coastal shelf topography, Furrowed Frogs thrive in the mud, ooze, and shelly mud found at the 10 - 107 fathom range here. These unusual crabs have modified claws, perfect for digging, a rounded body shape and a non-tucked abdomen. While Frog Crabs ordinarily scavenge the remains of dead marine animals falling from above, they sometimes go full hunter; catching the small fish swimming close to the bottom.

R. loevis and its related cousins can be found quite abundantly in the fossil record, especially from Greenland to the Antarctic, however today, modern examples live ONLY in the tropics and subtropics. Frog Crabs relative success and bodily development doesn’t stem from a primitive niche, rather the ability to burrow is a more recent evolutionary adaptation in response to increasing sea floor sedimentation and decreasing oceanic oxygen levels.

http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/S ... alue=98406
http://eol.org/pages/344164/overview

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[b][color=#FF4000]CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/10/2016:[/color][/b] The Cryptic Kelp Crab or Pugettia richii is a family Epialtidae Spider Crab found in the Pacific from the Aleutian Islands, to Alaska through Monterey Bay, California. Named for botanist William Rich, (Went on expeditions with Dana!) this fascinating species can be identified by its bumpy, spiny carapace with sharply projecting lateral teeth. Similar in habits to standard Decorator Crabs, P. richii differs in that it usually only decorates its rostrum with algae, coralline, and bryozoans. This blend of plants and sea life is perfect for hiding among the Eelgrass common in its habitat.

http://eol.org/pages/999295/overview
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=441490

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/11/2016: The Harris Mud Crab, known as Rhithropanopeus harrisii and sometimes, the “Zuiderzee Crab” a small omnivorous crab native to Atlantic coasts of North and South America. Normally found in brackish water and mud flats, this species has spread to numerous outside locales worldwide via the shipping industry; most notable avenues of introduction include clinging to the hulls of ships and "bait bucket or accidental angler/boater releases."

While not terribly unmanageable itself, R. harrisii is nevertheless a threat in that it is a carrier of strains of “White-Spot Baculovirus.” This virus may easily spread to native populations of penaeid shrimp, crayfish, and blue crab. (ie, THE STUFF WE EAT!)

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=107414
http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/S ... alue=98790

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/12/2016: Liopetrolisthes mitra, or the Striped Color Morph Crab is a STUNNING family Porcellanidae species (Porcelain Crabs) found mainly in the coastal reefs of Chile. This urchin-associated species primarily lives on large Black Sea Urchins, (Tetrapygus niger) the most common echinoderms found on the Chilean coast. This relationship is truly symbiotic AND widespread; roughly 60 percent or more of all Chilean Black Urchins host from 1 to 25 crabs EACH! These little crabs provide cleaning and parasite removal services on their hosts, while the spiky urchins provide a safe home from predation and greater exposure to food for the crabs.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=425819
http://eol.org/pages/4258804/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/13/2016: Heteronucia vesiculosa or the Glass-Bead Purse Crab is a tiny but BEAUTIFUL Leucosiid Crab hailing from French Polynesia. This relatively rare reef dweller can be identified by its beaded-granular carapace texture, twenty-four distinctly cone shaped gradient spines, and specialized curved claws. Like other purse crabs, these little guys graze corals for delectable bites while doing their best to avoid predation from parrot fishes and the like.

H. vesiculosa was first described by British physician, naturalist, and carcinologist, Alfred William Alcock for the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1896.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=441171
http://eol.org/pages/12170517/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/14/2016: Blotched Swimming Crab or Achelous spinimanus is a crab species from family Portunidae. This beautifully adorned Swimming Crab (BTW, though they have adapted paddle-legs, all swimmers are Brachyuran, or true crabs!) seldom gets larger than 2 or 3 inches across, so spotting it can be a challenge. Found chiefly in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, this species generally sticks to the 150 - 300 ft depth zone, though occasionally will venture to shallower waters.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=456069
http://eol.org/pages/1021723/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/15/2016: Lambrachaeus ramifer or the Thorny Elbow Crab is perhaps the smallest of the true Elbow Crabs. (family Parthenopidae) Found in Indo-Asiatic and East African waters, L. ramifer possesses arms roughly double its body width, and a semi-transparent carapace, cumulating in a knobby horn at the top of its head. Due to Thorny Elbow Crabs relative fragility, they- and many closely related species, are listed among the threatened animals.

http://eol.org/pages/1037701/overview
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=217308

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/16/2016: Hapalogaster cavicauda, or the Furry Crab, (Sometime the Fuzzy Crab) is a flattened, crab-like Lithoid crustacean, but not a true crab. As its name heavily implies, this sucker is covered completely with a serious layer of setae, or hair! Why does it need so much hair you ask? Well, to filter plankton from the water, and using the chelipeds, to “sweep” edible algae from rocks. Found primarily along the Pacific coast of North America from Mendocino to the tip of Mexico, H. cavicauda stays close to intertidal rocky beds.

A bonus side effect of all that hair is camouflage by way of shape disruption! When all the legs and claws are folded in it makes a continuous brown mass that does not look like a crab at all.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=590108
http://eol.org/pages/342188/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/17/2016: O’Crab EDITION! The Sarawak Land Crab (Lepidothelphusa cognetti) is a brilliant semi-aquatic land crab species, known for hanging out inland in Malaysia, Borneo, and most notably, Sarawak. This family gecarcinucidae crab is usually colored bright white, brilliant green or striking orange. Occurring FAR more widely than current records suggest, these omnivorous crabs are popular on tours, and frequently find their way into private aquariums. Other than rocky areas, these little guys LOVE to scuttle about on the greenest of river plants, making them fairly easy to spot.

The main threat to this species is habitat loss and degradation primarily as a result of regional logging.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=440547
http://eol.org/pages/7234961/overview

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/18/2016: The Orchid Island Crab or Geothelphusa lanyu is a unique species of omnivorous freshwater crab found ONLY in Lanyu Island, Taiwan and parts of mainland China. This tiny guy is EXTREMELY critically endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 100 km²; all the individuals of this species are in a few key localities, NONE of which are currently listed as protected areas. Furthermore, there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of G. lanyu‘s habitat from human-induced disturbance and pollution. High Susceptibility comes about as this family potamidae crab ONLY lives in inland wetlands and permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks/Waterfalls- all biomes that are equally susceptible to human ecological impact.

As an interesting twist to a potential future extinction, all 5 species in genus Geothelphusa constitute a single monophyletic “clade,” (google it!) distinct from every other crab species: in nearby areas. The genetic and morphological differences among G. tawu, G. lanyu, and G. lutao are VERY SMALL; any speciation or development of change is perhaps due to relatively recent violent volcanic history. (~500,000 years)

http://eol.org/pages/7228336/overview
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=443065

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CRINCH! #‎CrabOfTheDay‬ for 03/19/2016: Geryon trispinosus, known in Sweden as the “Tretandskrabba.” is a species of deepwater crab that lives in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean. Though fairly small, (no more than 1.6 in across) G. trispinosus has a striking range of depth; juvenile crabs persist well past the 1000m mark, while adults typically live at depths of less than 800m. G. trispinosus has to watch out for the Munida Squat Lobster as M. sarsi lives abundantly at depths of 700m-800m, and out-competes young G. trispinosus, and limits their survival to those depths where it is absent.

Geryon trispinosus has some unique taxonomic history; first described in 1803 by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst, as "Cancer trispinosus,” this species was erroneously attributed to the East Indies. Later on, in 1837, Danish zoologist Henrik Nikolai Krøyer created the genus ‘Geryon,’ for the Tretandskrabba and related species. In 1989, Raymond B. Manning and Lipke Holthuis created a second genus, ‘Chaceon,’ to accommodate most of the species previously in Geryon, which was left with only two species, G. trispinosus and G. longipes.

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=107374
http://eol.org/pages/345044/overview

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CRINCH! #CrabOfTheDay for 03/20/2016: Henslow's Swimming Crab (Polybius henslowii) is THE ONLY species of crab in the genus Polybius. This swimmer is found primarily in the waters of the north-East Atlantic Ocean and western Mediterranean Sea. This family Portunidae crab actually has four pairs of flattened, with fringed-edge paddle legs, contrasting with other members of the family Portunidae, which have only the last pair of legs adapted for swimming. P. henslowii is a WAY GOOD swimmer with major mobility; so much so it feeds on sardines, squid and other animals. Additionally, P. henslowii has been observed to form swimming pelagic swarms, mostly composed of males. Thank god these swarms are kept in check by predation from yellow-legged gulls (Larus cachinnans) and loggerhead turtles. (Caretta caretta)

Henslow's Swimming Crab’s range has expanded into the southern North Sea, possibly as a result of climate change- increases in Polybius decapod larvae plankton is correlated positively with sea temperature. (Hotter water = MORE CRABS!)

Cool Fact: Polybius henslowii may play an important role in the movement of the amnesic shellfish toxin, domoic acid (DA), through the marine food chain. The crab eats toxic shellfish, storing the DA in its fatty tissues. As humans catch and eat these toxin riddled crabs, more than 50% (on average) of sunk DA is released in the cooking process.

http://species-identification.org/speci ... mns&id=509
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ... &id=107399