crustacea text index | photo index
Phylum Arthropoda > Subphylum Crustacea > Class Malacostraca > Order Decapoda
Photo index of crabs on Singapore shores
Large crabs: body width > 8cm except swimming crabs

size indicated is for body width

Stone or
Thunder crab

Myomenippe hardwickii

Floral egg crab
Atergatis floridus

Smooth spooner crab
Etisus laevimanus

Rock crab
Leptodius
sp.
10-12cm. Body rounded with large pincers and black-tipped claws. Usually drab and unmarked. Identified by bright green eyes circled with red. Under stones, on coral rubble. Commonly seen on our Northern shores, under stones. 6-8cm. Body oval, with large pincers. One pincer is enlarged with large 'teeth', the other with thin claws. Eyes with spots. Rocky shores, coral rubble, reefs. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. 8-10cm. Body oval, smooth brown or green with fine pattenrs in white, cream or yellow. Coral rubble, reefs. Commonly seen on our Southern shores among coral rubble. 8-10cm. Body flat with blunt teeth on the edges, pincers long smooth. Coral rubble, reefs. Commonly seen on many of our Southern shores. 8-10cm. Body flat with blunt teeth on the edges, pincers long smooth. Coral rubble, reefs. Commonly seen on many of our Southern shores.

Mosaic reef crab
Lophozozymus pictor

Red egg crab
Atergatis integerrimus

Maroon stone crab
Menippe rumphii

Saw-edged spooner crab
Etisus utilis

Curry puff crab
Platypodia granulosa
8-10cm. Body flat and somewhat fan-shaped. Red to orange with complicated white patterns. Coral rubble, reefs. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 8-10cm. Body oval, smooth, reddish brown to bright red sometimes with small white spots. Coral rubble, reefs. Commonly seen on many of our shores among coral rubble. 9cm. Body rounded with large pincers and black-tipped claws. Usually plain red or maroon. Identified by red eyes without any green. Under stones, on coral rubble. Sometimes seen. 4-6cm. Body circular with large saw-like teeth on the edges. Pincers large with short spines and black tips. Among reefs. Seldom seen. 4-6cm. Body circular with notched sides so the crab resembles a curry puff. Among reefs. Seldom seen.

Horn-eyed
ghost crab

Ocypode ceratophthalmus

Smooth-eyed
ghost crab

Ocypode cordimanus
 

Spotted box crab
Calappa philargius

Spotted reef crab
Carpilius maculatus
6-8cm. Body boxy with large slots for eyes to fold away into. Adults have horned eyes. Usually bluish grey with brown 'H' markings. Sandy shores. Commonly seen on our many of our shores, but usually only at night. About 5cm. Body boxy with large slots for eyes to fold away into. Adults have smooth eyes. Usually bluish grey without markings on the back. Sandy shores near or above the high water line. Rare.   8-10cm. Body semi-circular with blunt teeth near the rear. Pincers flat with 6 dark spots, held against the face to form a boxy-shape. Seagrasses. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. To about 9cm. A distinctive pattern of large spots on a beige body. Four blunt spines between the eyes. Seen once on Sisters Island.

These are NOT crustaceans

Mangrove
horseshoe crab

Phylum Arthropoda
Class Merastomata

Coastal
horseshoe crab

Phylum Arthropoda
Class Merastomata
     
Diameter to about 15cm. Shell brownish. Tail is rounded in cross-section. Diameter to about 25cm. Shell greyish. Tail is triangular in cross-section.      

How to tell apart big crabs with big pincers



photo index of
crustaceans on this site
Crustaceans
all crustaceans

Crabs
all crabs and crab-like

small

body width <2 cm

small with long eyestalks


small porcelain crabs

3 pairs walking legs

medium
body width 3-5cm

large
body width >5cm

swimming crabs
last pair of legs paddle-shaped

hermit crabs
live in shells
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