''Ethusa mascarone'' is a species of
crab
Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...
s in the family
Ethusidae
Ethusidae is one of two extant families of crabs in the superfamily Dorippoidea. It contains four genera. Members of this family are found in marine environments at depths from 16m to 4,192m.
Genera
*'' Ethusa'' Roux, 1830
*'' Ethusina'' Smi ...
.
Description
The cephalothorax of ''Ethusa mascarone'' is almost rectangular, it can reach a length of and a width of . The body color is gray-brown, with brown lines on the carapace and transverse striae on the abdomen. Chelipeds and legs are lighter and white speckled.
The front pairs of legs are long, but the hind legs are shorter and are used to carry on the back a variety of objects and organisms, especially valves of bivalves, by which these crabs camouflage and protect themselves.
[ It has been described as a ]decorator crab
Decorator crabs are crabs of several different species, belonging to the superfamily Majoidea (not all of which are decorators), that use materials from their environment to hide from, or ward off, predators. They decorate themselves by sticking ...
despite not belonging to the superfamily Majoidea
The Majoidea are a Superfamily (taxonomy), superfamily of crabs which includes the various spider crabs.
Taxonomy
In "''A classification of living and fossil genera of decapod crustaceans''" De Grave and colleagues divided Majoidea into six fa ...
.[Podvodni]
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Distribution
This species is present in the Mediterranean Sea.Sealife Base
/ref>
Habitat
These crabs live on sandy substrate and muddy bottom, from a few meters up to 75 m deep.[
]
Behavior
Under hypoxic conditions, Ethusa mascarone has been observed to discard its objects of camouflage "to either increase mobility and/or reduce oxygen demand".[
]
References
*Türkay, M. (2001). Decapoda, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 284–292
External links
Natura Mediterraneo
Crabs
Crustaceans described in 1785
{{crab-stub