''Macropodia falcifera'', the Cape long-legged spider crab, is a
species of
marine
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
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 ...
found around the South African coast. It is a member of the
family Inachidae
Inachidae is a family of crabs, containing 39 genera:
*'' Achaeopsis'' Stimpson, 1857
*'' Achaeus'' Leach, 1815
*'' Anisonotus'' A. Milne-Edwards, 1879
*'' Anomalothir'' Miers, 1879
*'' Bothromaia'' Williams & Moffitt, 1991
*'' Calypsachaeus'' ...
.
Distribution
The Cape long-legged spider crab is found from 15 to at least 35 m underwater, from the Cape Peninsula to East London. It is
endemic to this region.
Description
This crab has a small, arrowhead-shaped body, which may be 20 mm in height, and long, spindly legs, which may grow to in length. Its pincers are considerably sturdier than its legs and are tipped with white claws. The body is pinkish or reddish, and the legs and pincers are usually a darker red.
[Branch, G. M., Branch, M. L., Griffiths, C. L. and Beckley, L. E. 2010. ''Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa'' ]
Ecology
The animals often decorate themselves with
hydroids or
algae
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
, and are often found on
sea fans.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6725550
Majoidea
Crustaceans described in 1857