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Phylum Arthropoda > Subphylum Crustacea > Class Malacostraca > Order Decapoda > Brachyurans
Elbow crabs
Family Parthenopidae
updated Dec 2019
Where seen? Tiny ones are common but overlooked as they look like bits of dirt or junk among seaweeds. Some species are larger, more grotesque and less often encountered.

Features: Most have highly elongated pincers that stick way out from the sides of its body. Others have less obvious 'elbows'.

Status and threats: Some of our elbow crabs are listed among the 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.

Pincers many times longer than its body.
Changi, May 06

Underside of the Domed elbow crab.
Changi, Jul 06

Some Elbow crabs on Singapore shores

 

Family Parthenopidae 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.

+from The Biodiversity of Singapore, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.
**from WORMS

  Family Parthenopidae
  Aulacolambrus granulosus (CR: Critically endangered)
Aulocalambrus hoplonotus
Aulocalambrus planifrons

Cryptopodia fornicata
(Domed elbow crab) (EN: Endangered)
Cryptopodia laevimana

Daldorfia horrida (NE: Presumed Nationally Extinct)

+Enoplolambrus echinatus
+Enoplolambrus pransor
+Enoplolambrus tumidus

Parthenope lippus
Parthenope longimanus
(Caltrop elbow crab)
Parthenope tumidus
Parthenope carinatus
Parthenope echinatus
Parthenope prensor
Parthenope validus=**Enoplolambrus validus

Platylambrus echinatus (EN: Endangered)

Pseudolambrus bicornis
(Two horned elbow-crab) (CR: Critically endangered)

Rhinolambrus contrarius
Rhinolambrus deflexifrons
Rhinolambrus latifrons
Rhinolambrus longispinis
Rhinolambrus pelagicus
(VU: Vulnerable)

Links

References

  • Tan Swee Hee and Martyn E. Y. Low. 20 December 2013. Daldorfia horrida rediscovered in Singapore after a century. Singapore Biodiversity Records 2013: 128-129
  • Lim, S., P. Ng, L. Tan, & W. Y. Chin, 1994. Rhythm of the Sea: The Life and Times of Labrador Beach. Division of Biology, School of Science, Nanyang Technological University & Department of Zoology, the National University of Singapore. 160 pp.
  • 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. Nature Society (Singapore). 285 pp.
  • Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore. National Council on the Environment. 163pp.
  • 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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