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Updated 8/21/2024

Order Decapoda - Crabs

Crabs are decapods having 5 pairs of legs.  Hawaii has nearly 200 species in a multitude of families and positive identification is often difficult for the untrained.  Much of the literature available is old.  Measurements refer to carapace (shell) width. 

Megalops Larval Stage

 

HAWAII - ENDEMIC

Babamunida debrae 

DEBRA'S SQUAT LOBSTER

Aphanodactylus edmondsoni

 

EDMONDSON'S TUBEWORM CRAB

 

Cyclograpsus henshawi

HENSHAW'S SHORE CRAB

 

Lybia edmondsoni   

HAWAIIAN POM-POM CRAB

Aethra edentata   

 FLAT ELBOW or POTATO-CHIP CRAB

 

 
   

INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII

Ocypode pallidula

PALLID GHOST CRAB

 

Ocypode sp.

GHOST CRAB

 

Ocypode ceratophthalma

HORN-EYED GHOST CRAB

 

Grapsus tenuicrustatus

THIN-SHELLED ROCK CRAB    'A'AMA

 

Grapsus longitarsus

LONG-LEGGED ROCK CRAB

 

Plagusia squamosa

SCALY ROCK CRAB

Percnon abbreviatum

ABBREVIATED ROCK CRAB

 

Percnon affine

BLUE-EYED ROCK CRAB

Plagusia immaculata

 

SCALY ROCK CRAB

Percnon planissimum

FLAT ROCK CRAB

 

Metopograpsus oceanicus

OCEANIC ROCK CRAB

 

Pachygrapsus plicatus

PLEATED ROCK CRAB

 

Metopograpsus thukuhar

 'ALAMIHI ROCK CRAB, Female

 

Metopograpsus thukuhar

 'ALAMIHI ROCK CRAB, Male

 

Carupa tenuipes

VIOLET-EYED SWIMMING CRAB

 

 Etisus demani

PALE PEBBLE CRAB

 

Crossotonotus spinipes

PALICID CRAB

 

Exopalicus maculatus

BUTTON CRAB

Nucia speciosa

RED LEUCOSIID CRAB

 

Actaeomorpha erosa

ERODED CRAB

 

Goniosupradens erythrodactylus

RAINBOW SWIMMING CRAB

 

Goniosupradens hawaiensis

HAWAIIAN SWIMMING CRAB

Gonioinfradens paucidentatus

RED SWIMMING CRAB

 

Laleonectes nipponensis

JAPANESE SWIMMING CRAB

 

Portunus sanguinolentus

BLOOD-SPOTTED SWIMMING CRAB

 

Portunus pubescens

HAIRY SWIMMING CRAB

 

Portunus longispinosus

LONG-SPINED SWIMMING CRAB

 

Portunus macrophthalmus

BIG-EYED SWIMMING CRAB

 

Thranita crenata

BLUE-PINCHER CRAB

 

Scylla serrata

MANGROVE or SAMOAN CRAB

Thranita coerulipes

CERULEAN-LEGGED SWIMMING CRAB

 

Thalamita admete

EDWARD'S SWIMMING CRAB

 

Macrophthalmus telescopicus

TELESCOPIC CRAB

 

Podophthalmus vigil

LONG-EYED SWIMMING CRAB

 

Lissocarcinus orbicularis

SEA CUCUMBER CRAB

 

Lissocarcinus laevis

HARLEQUIN SWIMMING CRAB

Polydectus cupulifer

TEDDY-BEAR CRAB

 

Pilumnus vespertilio

COMMON HAIRY CRAB

 

Carpilius convexus

CONVEX CRAB, juvenile

 

Carpilius convexus

CONVEX CRAB

 

Carpilius maculatus

7-11 or BLOOD SPOTTED CRAB

 

Paractaea sp.

GRANULATED XANTHID CRAB

 

Pilodius areolatus

AREOLATED XANTHID CRAB

 

Etisus splendidus

 

SPLENDID PEBBLE CRAB

 

Xanthias latifrons

BROAD-FRONTED CRAB

 

Platypodia eydouxii

RED-EYED XANTHID CRAB

 

Pseudoliomera speciosa

SHOWY XANTHID CRAB

 

Liomera rubra

RED LIOMERA

 

Lophozozymus pulchellus

PRETTY XANTHID CRAB

 

Tweedieia laysani

LAYSAN CRAB

 

Trapezia intermedia

COMMON GUARD CRAB

 

Trapezia tigrina

RED-SPOTTED GUARD CRAB

 

Trapezia digitalis

BROWN GUARD CRAB

 

 Trapezia bidentata

BROWN GUARD CRAB

Trapezia flavopunctata

YELLOW-SPOTTED GUARD CRAB

 

Domecia hispida

HAIRY DOMECIA

Xanthias lamarcki

ROUND CRAB

 

Liomera rugata

CORRUGATED LIOMERA

Aulacolambrus hoplonotus

HAIRY ELBOW CRAB

 

Petrolisthes coccineus

RED PORCELAIN CRAB

Cycloes marisrubri

RED SEA BOX CRAB

Hippa marmorata

MARBLED MOLE CRAB

 

Calappa hepatica

COMMON BOX CRAB

 

Calappa gallus

KNOBBY BOX CRAB

 

Calappa calappa

SMOOTH BOX CRAB

 

Ranina ranina

KONA CRAB

 

Tumidodromia dormia

SLEEPY SPONGE CRAB

 

Stebbingdromia plumosa

SHAGGY SPONGE CRAB

 

Schizophroida hilensis

HILO COLLECTOR CRAB

 

Simocarcinus simplex

SIMPLE COLLECTOR CRAB

 

Lambrachaeus ramifer

THORNY ELBOW CRAB

 

Echinoecus pentagonus

SEA URCHIN CRAB

 

Viaderiana taeniola

HAIRY NARROW-BAND CRAB

 

Homola orientalis

ORIENTAL SPONGE CRAB

Utinomiella dimorpha

CAULIFLOWER CORAL CRAB

 

Hapalocarcinus marsupialis

CORAL GALL CRAB

Albunea speciosa

MOLE CRAB

 

Babamunida plexaura

BANDED SQUAT LOBSTER

Galathea sp.

SQUAT LOBSTER

 

Planes cyaneus

FLOTSAM CRAB

 

Rhinolambrus sp.

GIANT ELBOW CRAB

 

 

INDO-PACIFIC

Hoplophrys oatesii

SOFT CORAL CRAB

 

Xenocarcinus tuberculatus

WIRE CORAL CRAB

Achaeus japonicus

ORANGUTAN CRAB

 

Lauriea siagiani

HAIRY or PINK SQUAT LOBSTER

Galathea sp.

SQUAT LOBSTER

 

Lybia tessellata

BOXER CRAB

Neopetrolisthes maculatus

 SPOTTED PORCELAIN CRAB

 

Neopetrolisthes spinatus

 SPINY PORCELAIN CRAB

Pseudocryptochirus viridis

TURBINARIA GALL CRAB

 

Chirostylus sandyi

SPIDER SQUAT LOBSTER

   

TROPICAL EASTERN PACIFIC

Pyromaia tuberculata

TUBERCULATE PEAR CRAB

 

Podochela hemphilli

HEMPHILL'S KELP CRAB

 


NORTHEAST PACIFIC

Hyas lyratus

PACIFIC LYRE CRAB

 

Pugettia producta

NORTHERN KELP CRAB

Loxorhynchus crispatus

MOSS CRAB

 

Loxorhynchus grandis

SHEEP CRAB

Oregonia gracilis

GRACEFUL DECORATOR CRAB

 

Telmessus cheiragonus

HELMET CRAB

Glebocarcinus oregonensis

PYGMY ROCK CRAB

 

Metacarcinus anthonyi

YELLOW CRAB

 

Portunus xantusii

SWIMMING CRAB

 

Pachygrapsus crassipes

STRIPED SHORE CRAB


WESTERN ATLANTIC

Menippe mercenaria

FLORIDA STONE CRAB

 

Panopeus obesus

SALT MARSH MUD CRAB

 

Stenorhynchus seticornis

YELLOWLINE ARROW CRAB