Furrowed Crab Xantho hydrophilus

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Furrowed Crab 0r Montagu's crab - Xantho hydrophilus synonyms Xantho incisus Lophozozymus incisus

Size

Description & ID Features

Carapace is up to 2.5 cm long and 6 cm wide. Dorsal surface of carapace finely granular (almost smooth to the naked eye), antero-lateral margins 4 obtuse teeth. Small median notch between eyes. Chelipeds equal in size, large and heavy, black-tipped and without spines or tubercles. Walking legs stout and relatively short. Yellowish or reddish-brown, occ with patches of darker brown.

Key ID Feartures

2nd to 4th pairs of antero-lateral lobes separated from each other by inwardly directed, very broad and shallow depression.
Postero-lateral margins of carapace setose.
Inner faces of propodus with a broad, longitudinal pitted excavation

Habitat Occurs from the lower shore down to depths of up to 40 m, often on stony substrata.

 

Carapace is furrowed with eight teeth like projections on its edge. It is brown coloured with claws having black tips , although like many species there can be much variation..Notably out reaches its claws. Outstretched large claws give a predator of instantly becoming bigger

 

 By NicoDesSables (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons