Leptograpsodes

Burrowing shore crab
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Leptograpsodidae
Guinot, Ng & Rodríguez Moreno, 2018[3]
Genus: Leptograpsodes
Montgomery, 1931[2]
Species:
L. octodentatus
Binomial name
Leptograpsodes octodentatus
Synonyms[1]
List
    • Cyclograpsus octodentatus H. Milne Edwards, 1837
    • Grapsus inornatus Hess, 1865
    • Heterograpsus octodentatus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837)
    • Leptograpsodes webhaysi Montgomery, 1931

Leptograpsodes octodentatus, known as the burrowing shore crab,[4] is a species of crab in the superfamily Grapsoidea,[5] found on southern Australian seashores in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia (north to the Abrolhos islands).[4][6] It is the only species in the genus Leptograpsodes,[2] and the family Leptograpsodidae.[3] It is up to 60 to 70 mm (2.4 to 2.8 in) across,[5][6] with an oval shaped carapace.[5] The species epithet octodentatus refers to four pairs of teeth (including the orbital angle) on the sides of the carapace,[4] although the fourth is very small.[7] Some references list one tooth only.[5] Adult males have large claws with curved fingers, with irregular teeth, whereas in females and juveniles the fingers are straight, with regular teeth.[4] These differences caused them to originally be given multiple species names.[citation needed] Color varies with the carapace described as grey and yellow, mottled green and brown, purple and yellow.[6] It can produce sound by stridulation.[6] There is a tendency for them to live near fresh or brackish water,[4] but never far from the shore.[4] It lives in shallow burrows, above the high tide line, and comes out to feed at night, on rotting vegetation and animal debris.[4] Spawning is in summer from December to January.[4]

  1. ^ a b WoRMS. "Leptograpsodes octodentatus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  2. ^ a b WoRMS. "Leptograpsodes Montgomery, 1931". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  3. ^ a b WoRMS. "Leptograpsodidae Guinot, Ng & Rodriguez Moreno, 2018". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Cite error: The named reference George was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference MuseumVic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Guinot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Griffin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).