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| crabs text index | photo index |
| Phylum Arthropoda > Subphylum Crustacea > Class Malacostraca > Order Decapoda > Brachyurans |
| Red-eyed
reef crab Eriphia ferox Family Eriphiidae updated Aug 10 Where seen? This energetic crab with bright red eyes is often seen on our Southern shores clambering among boulders at night. Also on coral rubble and under stones. Sometimes also seen on undisturbed rocky shores of our Northern shores. It is rarely seen out and about during daylight. Features: 5-7cm. Body reddish with large rounded pincers and bright red eyes. Walking legs with pointed tips to cling to rocks. One of its pincers is enlarged and armed with a molar-like 'tooth' to crush snail shells. The other pincer has slim 'fingers' that act like chopsticks to remove the snail after its shell is crushed. It is fast moving and can be aggressive if it is cornered. According to Ng, Peter K. L. et. al, 2008. Systema Brachyurorum: Part 1. An annotated checklist of extant Brachyuran crabs of the world. "Eriphia smithii is supposedly a widely distributed Indo-West Pacific species. The actual E. smithii is restricted to the Indian Ocean. Most specimens in Southeast and East Asia as well as Australia belong to an undescribed species". According to the Singapore Red Data Book, this crab had been known for a long time as Eriphia smithii which is restricted to the western part of the Indian Ocean. The one in Southeast and East Asia is a new species and was recently named Eriphia ferox for its fierce temperament. Sometimes confused with similar crabs in the same habitat. Here's more on how to tell apart big crabs with big pincers seen on the rocky shores and coral rubble. Status and threats: This crab is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore. |
 Sentosa, Jul 04  |
 Pulau Jong, Jul 06 |
 One of the pincers enlarged with 'molar' to crush snail shells. |
 The other pincer has slim 'fingers' to pick out the soft snail. |
Red-eyed reef crabs on Singapore shores
 Pulau Jong, May 10 |
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 Raffles Lighthouse, May 04 |
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 Sisters Island, Sep 09 |
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more photos of red-eyed reef crabs on Singapore shores
northern shores
southern shores part 1 | part 2 | part 3
| Family
Eriphiidae recorded for Singapore in red are those listed among the threatened animals of Singapore from Davison, G.W. H. and P. K. L. Ng and Ho Hua Chew, 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened plants and animals of Singapore.
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