PORT PHILLIP BAY


Burrowing Shore Crab 

Leptograpsodes octodentatus (Milne Edwards, 1837)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Carapace with strongly convex lateral margins, with 1 prominent tooth immediately behind orbital angle and 2 or 3 small teeth more posterior; dorsally a pair of oblique lateral grooves meeting in transverse groove. Infraorbital margin continuous from near base of orbital spine to near inner limit of orbit, paralleled by more dominant suborbital crest ending on pterygostomial face. Chelae smooth on outer surface, tuberculate on inner surface. Telson of male narrower than abdominal somites. Carapace dark brown to purple, with extensive yellow mottling.

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:
Grapsinae
Genus:
Leptograpsodes
Species:
octodentatus

General Description

Body mottled dark green and brown. Carapace oval shaped with rounded sides and one notch on each side. Up to 6 cm wide (carapace).

Biology

Burrowing Shore Crabs are most active at night, leaving their burrow or rock shelters to forage for food at the water's edge. They make burrows for shelter, which can be some distance from the ocean.

Habitat

Exposed rocky shores, mid to high tide level.

Reefs

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Southern Australia, including western and central Victoria.

Species Group

Crabs and allies › Crabs

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

6 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Harmful

Not harmful but a nip from claws could be painful.

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

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, Burrowing Shore Crab, Leptograpsodes octodentatus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 07 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7800

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