PORT PHILLIP BAY


Two-spined Crab 

Litocheira bispinosa Kinahan, 1856

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Carapace wider than long; dorsal surface convex, smooth, regions poorly defined; sharp spine at posterior end of oblique anterolateral margin; Orbits complete, eyestalk occupying about one-quarter of frontal border; front deflexed, straight, double-edged, without median notch. Interantennular septum typically narrow. Maxillipeds 3 with carpus articulating at or near disto internal angle of merus. Walking legs ambulatory, setose, never flattened. Male abdomen with 7 free somites or with somites 3-5 immoveable. Male gonopod 1 moderately stout, weakly curved or sinuous; gonopod 2 usually shorter than first. Male genital openings sternal or sternocoxal, with vas deferens passing along open or closed groove in sternum.

Source: Poore, G.C.B. (2004) Marine decapod Crustacea of southern Australia. A guide to identification (with chapter on Stomatopoda by Shane Ahyong). CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, 574 pp.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Subclass:
Eumalacostraca
Superorder:
Eucarida
Order:
Decapoda
Suborder:
Pleocyemata
Infraorder:
Brachyura
Family:
Goneplacidae
Subfamily:
Chasmocarcininae
Genus:
Litocheira
Species:
bispinosa

Other Names

  • Two-spined Slender-clawed Crab

General Description

Carapace wider than long. Anterolateral margin straight, defined by sharp spine; front without distinct notch in middle; anterolateral margin with 1 sharp spine on each side of the carapace just behind the eye. Up to 1.5 cm wide.

Biology

This small crab is the only common goneplacid from intertidal and shallow environments in southern Australia and is distinguishable from grapsids and others by the simple sharp lateral spines and the medial position of the palp on maxilliped 3. It is common in muddy bays, like Western Port.

Habitat

With algae under rocks, intertidal to depths of 15 m.

Soft substrates

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Southern Australia possibly extending to New Zealand.

Species Group

Crabs and allies › Crabs

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

15 mm

Diet

Organic matter

Harmful

Not harmful but a nip from large claws could be painful

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 991

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Taylor, J.

Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Poore, G.C.B.

Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Two-spined Crab, Litocheira bispinosa, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 07 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/4188

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