Eriphia sebana
Carapace hexagonal, some regions defined anteriorly, H-shaped grove in centre and without setae. Frontal region with spines and distinct medial fissure. Anterolateral margin spinosed and without teeth. Internal margin eye closed, no gap, therefore the flagellum of the antenna cannot enter the orbit. Chelipeds markedly unequal, one strong crushing claw with a molar form tooth on each finger and the minor chela has slightly more slender fingers. Propodus of cheliped smooth and not granulate. Walking legs with setae propodus with longitudinal setal mats. All male abdominal somites are moveable.
Vernacular name: Smooth red-eyed crab.
These crabs have a large claw specially adapted to crush snails. Their red-eyes reflect their disposition, they are extremely aggressive crabs and they should be handled with extreme care.
Order Decapoda Latreille, 1802
Infraorder Brachyura Latreille, 1802
Section Eubrachyura de Saint Laurent, 1980
Subsection Heterotremata Guinot, 1977
Superfamily Xanthoidea, MacLeay, 1838
Family Eriphiidae MacLeay, 1838
Subfamily Eriphiinae MacLeay, 1838
Eriphia sebana (Shaw & Nodder, 1803)
East Coast of Africa, Madagascar, Aldabra, Maldives, Sri Lanker, Christmas Is., Cocos Is., Thailand, through to the Philippines, Guinea, South China, Japan and Australia (N, E), to Hawaii and Samoa.
Intertidal rocky and coral shore.