Relevant Synonyms - Misidentification -  photo : Michele Pastore

SHORT DESCRIPTION Carapace pyriform, smooth. Two short rostral spines, pre-orbital and post-orbital spines short. Hepatic region with three or four sharp tubercles, gastric region with three low tubercles in transverse line, cardiac and intestinal regions each with single low dorsal tubercle. Posterior median margin of carapace with single projection. Cheliped, as long as carapace, not greatly enlarged in males, merus and carpus with many low tubercles, chela smooth. Walking legs meri bristly; posterior margin of dactyls with 1-4 triangular teeth. color : carapace cream-colored mottled with rust. Walking legs with orange-colored transversal bands. common size : CL 1.3 cm (max.). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Single median posterior projection on the carapace, short rostral spines. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Ovigerous females have been recorded in spring. habitat : intertidal to 73 m, rough bottom, on rock, coral, calcareous algae. Mediterranean record from a submarine cave.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Southern Italy, 2002. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Eastern Atlantic, Gulf of Guinea. Mediterranean : several specimens, both young and adults, collected on different occasions in the Otranto Channel, southern Italy (Pastore and Denitto, 2002). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Small local population. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Unknown. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Manning R.B. and L.B. Holthuis, 1981. West African brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 306: 1-379. Pastore M. and F. Denitto, 2002. Occurrence of Herbstia nitida Manning and Holthuis, 1981 in the Otranto channel. Book of abstracts, 8th Colloquium Crustacea Decapoda Mediterranea, p. 80.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: 2009 ©ciesm 2002