Austruca annulipes
Species of crab / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Austruca annulipes is a species of fiddler crab found along the coastline from South Africa to Somalia, Madagascar, India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Austruca annulipes | |
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male | |
female | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Infraorder: | Brachyura |
Family: | Ocypodidae |
Subfamily: | Gelasiminae |
Tribe: | Gelasimni |
Genus: | Austruca |
Species: | A. annulipes |
Binomial name | |
Austruca annulipes (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837) | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Austruca annulipes was formerly in the genus Uca, but in 2016 it became a member of the genus Leptuca, a former subgenus of Uca.[2][3][1]
They are relatively small crabs, and can be seen feeding in the evening at low tide. The males and females differ in size and appearance: the larger males are endowed with a brightly colored front claw. Compared to the females (and even the smaller male Uca annulipes crabs), the male Austruca annulipes crabs spend the most time excavating their burrows.[4] House crows are known to prey upon these crabs, which are quick to hide in their burrows at the slightest hint of danger.