Wire Coral Crab
Xenocarcinus tuberculatus
Also known as: Black Coral Xeno Crab, Brachyura Crab, Decorator Crab, Gorgonian Crab, Horned Spider Crab, Imitator Crab, Soft Coral Crab, Spider Crab, True Crab, Whip Coral Spider Crab, Tuberculatus Xeno Crab, Xeno Crab
- Black Coral Xeno Crab
- Brachyura Crab
- Decorator Crab
- Gorgonian Crab
- Horned Spider Crab
- Imitator Crab
- Soft Coral Crab
- Spider Crab
- True Crab
- Whip Coral Spider Crab
- Tuberculatus Xeno Crab
- Xeno Crab
Overview
Found attached to the Seawhips - Cirripathes or Stichopathes spp., over coral and rocky reefs. This crab will often take flesh from its host to use as camouflage, or cover itself in algae, again for camouflage!
Brachyura crabs are considered true crabs, they have a short abdomen, 4 walking legs and a pair of clawed arms at the front.
Many thousands of species live worldwide in sea water, fresh water and on land.
Xenocarcinus depressus
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Indo-Pacific
- Country only · 5
Found attached to the Seawhips - Cirripathes or Stichopathes spp., over coral and rocky reefs.
Adult photos 5
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumArthropoda
- classMalacostraca
- orderDecapoda
- familyEpialtidae
- genusXenocarcinus
- speciesXenocarcinus tuberculatus White, 1847
SourcesWoRMS
More in the family
Crabs (Epialtidae)
