Zosimus aeneus

Zosimus aeneus
Zosimus aeneus at Atauro
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Xanthidae
Subfamily: Zosiminae
Genus: Zosimus
Species:
Z. aeneus
Binomial name
Zosimus aeneus
Synonyms [1]
  • Cancer aeneus Linnaeus, 1758
  • Cancer amphitrite Herbst, 1801
  • Cancer floridus Herbst, 1783
  • Zozimus aeneus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Zozymus aeneus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Zosimus aeneus, also known as the devil crab, toxic reef crab, and devil reef crab is a species of crab that lives on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to Hawaii. It grows to a size of 60 mm × 90 mm (2.4 in × 3.5 in) and has distinctive patterns of brownish blotches on a paler background. It is potentially lethal due to the presence of the neurotoxins tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin in its flesh and shell.

  1. ^ Peter Davie (2010). "Zosimus aeneus". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved March 2, 2011.