PORT PHILLIP BAY


Haswell's Shore Crab 

Helograpsus haswellianus (Whitelegge, 1889)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Carapace deep and vaulted (height c. 0.65 length); frontal width (frontal width of carapace, excluding orbital region) half fronto-orbital width (frontal width of carapace, including orbital region) (orbits relatively small); with angle between frontal border and orbits; anterolateral margin with 1 tooth behind orbital angle. Epistome not visible in dorsal view. Pterygostomial region granulate but not reticulate. Abdominal somite 3 of male not wider than other somites. Telson of mature females about as broad as long. Olive-brown or reddish.

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:
Grapsidae
Subfamily:
Cyclograpsinae
Genus:
Helograpsus
Species:
haswellianus

General Description

Carapace light to dark brown, sides curved with one notch behind the eye. Front of carapace curves down. Up to 3 cm wide (carapace).

Biology

Haswell's Shore Crabs dig burrows for protection in sand or mud above the high tide level.

Habitat

Sheltered coasts, under rocks, in burrows, mid to high tide levels.

Reefs

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Crabs and allies › Crabs

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

3 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Harmful

Not harmful but a nip from claws could be painful.

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 2801

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, Haswell's Shore Crab, Helograpsus haswellianus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 01 Jul 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/3955

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