 |
|
| crabs text index | photo index |
| Phylum Arthropoda > Subphylum Crustacea > Class Malacostraca > Order Decapoda > Brachyurans |
| Pebble
crabs Family Leucosiidae updated Dec 08 Where seen? These crabs really do resemble tiny pebbles and are sometimes seen on our Northern shores. Silty, sandy areas near seagrasses. They are usually buried under the sand. Features: Body width 1-2cm. Body smooth somewhat circular. The head forms a blunt tip with a pair of tiny eyes. It has powerful flat pincers with pointed claws. The crab can bury itself in the sand very rapidly. Some may be colourful. According to the Singapore Red Data Book, the Rubble crab (Favus granulatus) is known only from Singapore and was a new genus and species discovered from Singapore and is not yet known elsewhere. It was found on Siloso Beach of Sentosa which has since been 'improved', and Pulau Semakau. Alox somphos, a related species in another genus was also first described from Singapore. Status and threats: Some of our pebble crabs are listed as 'Endangered' on the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore. Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Trampling by careless visitors also have an impact on local populations. |
 Changi, Apr 08  |
|
|
 Mating pebble crabs Changi, Jul 05 |
 |
Pebble crabs on Singapore shores
 Changi, Jul 08 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Chek Jawa, Jan 02 |
 Burrowing into the sand. Changi, Jul 08 |
| Family
Leucosiidae recorded for Singapore from Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in 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.
|
Links
|
|
|