Atergatis subdentatus

(De Haan, 1835)

Vernacular names
English : Red reef crab
French : Crabe rouge de récif

Classification
Class : Malacostraca
Order : Decapoda
Family : Xanthidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can reach a diameter of 9 cm. Smooth-surfaced oval-shaped shell, dorsally flattened. Pincers are very large and broad, with black tips. Coloration red with fine white dots on sides of shell. Orange blotch with two white spots on back.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area, mostly around Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Maldives and Gulf of Mannar. Lives in coral reefs and rocky shores, from 3 to 30 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : NOT LISTED
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species hasn’t been assessed on the Red List. It seems to be fairly common to locally abundant and isn’t threatened.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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