PORT PHILLIP BAY


Shaggy Sponge Crab 

Lamarckdromia globosa (Lamarck, 1818)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Carapace about as long as wide, dorsally smooth, with dense fringe of setae across front. Front narrow, appearing tridentate, with strongly deflexed rostrum, lateral teeth rounded, not prominent, anterolateral margin with 1 tooth. Female sternal grooves end together on medial tubercle, near bases of walking leg 1. Cheliped with epipod. Walking legs smooth. Walking leg 3 with 1 spine on propodus opposing dactylus, with 2 spines on outer margin. Walking leg 4 about as long as walking leg 1; with 1?2 spines on propodus opposing dactylus plus 1 spine on outer margin; with 1 spine on outer margin of dactylus. Uropods visible as ventral ovate plates, not visible externally, not involved in holding abdomen. Male abdomen with somites free. Telson broader than long, rounded.

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:
Dromiidae
Genus:
Lamarckdromia
Species:
globosa

General Description

Body pink brown. Front of animal semicircular with a row of hairs across the top. Eyes black. Up to 4 cm wide (carapace).

Biology

Shaggy Sponge Crabs are usually camouflaged by a large sponge or sea squirt.

Habitat

Reef near sponges, to depth of 180 m.

Reefs

Sponge gardens

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Crabs and allies › Crabs

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

4 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Harmful

Not harmful but a nip from large claws could be painful

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 3853

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, Shaggy Sponge Crab, Lamarckdromia globosa, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 13 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/3967

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