Relevant Synonyms - Misidentification -  photo : Dr Husamettin Balkis

SHORT DESCRIPTION Carapace convex, granulate, tuberculate, 1.6 wide as long. Anterolateral margin arcuate, crenulate, dentate. Posterolateral margin expanded, clypeiform, bearing transverse granulate rows, concealing flexed ambulatory legs underneath. Chelipeds massive, fitting closely. External surface of chela swollen, upper margin crested, with seven foliate lobes. Larger dactylus proximally with crooked tooth fitting into molariform depression. Pereiopods slender, smooth. Male abdomen five segmented, second segment trilobate. color : carapace olive green with violet spots, posteriorly with mottled red. Legs tinted violet. common size : CL 5.1 cm (max). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Posterolateral margins of carapace expanded. Massive flexed chela carried anterolaterally. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Poorly known. habitat : on sandy, muddy or gravelly bottoms, intertidal to 100 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Turkey, 2003 [1992]. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Indo-Pacific, Red Sea to Hawaii, Clipperton Island. Mediterranean : Gulf of Iskenderun, SE Turkey (Balkis and Çeviker, 2003). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Rare. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Presumably through the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Balkis H. and D. Çeviker, 2003. A new exotic crab species [Calappa hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758)] for the Mediterranean fauna. Israel Journal of Zoology, 49(4): 320-321. Galil B.S., 1997. Crustacea Decapoda: a revision of the Indo-Pacific species of the genus Calappa Weber, 1795 (Calappidae). In: A. Crosnier (ed.), Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, 18. Mém. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat., 176: 271-335.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: February 2005 ©ciesm 2002