Spotted
moon crab
Ashtoret
lunaris
Family Matutidae
updated
Feb 09
Where
seen? This spotted moon crab is commonly encountered on
our shores. Sandy silty shores, especially near seagrasses. It is
more active at night and is rarely seen by daytime visitors as it
is then often buried in the sediments.
Features:
Body width ranges from 3cm to some more than 8cm across.
The body has a pair of long spikes on the sides and is beige to yellow
with lots of little maroon dots all over the upper part of the body.
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Changi, Apr 05
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A
huge dead crab, bliss!
Changi, Oct 08
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Spotted
moon crabs on Singapore shores
Underside
Changi, May 05
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Sturdy pincers
tucked against the body.
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All walking legs
end in paddles.
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Changi, Apr
10
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Changi,
Jul 07
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Sentosa, Jun 07
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Changi, Jul 07
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Changi, Apr 09
Mating
or eating the smaller crab?
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Tiny
one eating an injured worm.
Chek Jawa, Feb 02
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A
pair snacking on dead fish...yumm!
Chek Jawa, Mar 03
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Really
tiny one among seaweeds
Tanah Merah, Feb 09
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more photos of spotted
moon crabs on Singapore shores
northern shores | southern
shores
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Acknowledgements
Grateful
thanks to Crabhunter
for identification of some of these crabs.
Links
References
- Ng, Peter
K. L. and Daniele Guinot and Peter J. F. Davie, 2008. Systema
Brachyurorum: Part 1. An annotated checklist of extant Brachyuran
crabs of the world. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement
No. 17, 31 Jan 2008. 286 pp. (Online
PDF on the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology website).
- Jones Diana
S. and Gary J. Morgan, 2002. A Field Guide to Crustaceans of
Australian Waters. Reed New Holland. 224 pp.
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