Leptodius exaratus
Carapace hexagonal, dorsal surface of carapace smooth with regions well defined, frontal region distinctly bilobed with medial fissure. Anterolateral margins convex with four teeth (sometime blunt in small specimens). Flagellum of antennal can be pushed into the orbit via a small gap. Chelipeds strong and nearly equal in size and crest absent on dorsal margin of propodus. Walking legs round in section and without a crest on the dorsal margin of the merus, carpus and propodus. Male abdomen somites 3-5 are not moveable.
Vernacular name: Pebble crabs.
This is a common intertidal crab. Their carapaces show a remarkable diversity of colour form, some are even bright orange and possessing stripes! The tips of their fingers of their claws are spoon-tipped, which they use to feed on detritus and algae.
Order Decapoda Latreille, 1802
Infraorder Brachyura Latreille, 1802
Section Eubrachyura de Saint Laurent, 1980
Subsection Heterotremata Guinot, 1977
Superfamily Xanthoidea, MacLeay, 1838
Family Xanthidae MacLeay, 1838
Subfamily Xanthinae MacLeay, 1838
Leptodius exaratus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834)
Red Sea and East Coast of Africa to Hawaii, including Thailand, South China, Japan and Australia.
Intertidal rocky shore