Mystery Crab

Shawn_Palmer

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This guy was a hitchhiker in my tank and never knew he was even in there until he was already this size! If anyone could identify what kind of crab he is that would be greatly appreciated. IMG_1378.PNG IMG_1403.JPG IMG_1401.JPG
 

Untamedrose

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Aww she's cute :D

Any chance you get a good close up of his claws? Really thats the best way to id what kinda crab she is, least as far as predator vs opportunist vs scavenger.
 

94Roarge

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1fdae5d5e75c530bdae6f1f4ad958dfb.jpg
e3fde7cfb154728476c6202a83fa09a2.jpg

Does it look as alike to this one as I think it does?
 

eliramos

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lol I love how easy it is for you to get pics usually people have the hardest time trying to get pics of their crabs!
And I've never heard of a poisonous crab .
It doesn't look like a gorilla crab so that is a good sign.
Bump for someone else to id!
 

94Roarge

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@94Roarge not even close to my eyes. The one in your pics has a bumpy/lumpy carapace, the one in question doesn't.
Looking from front on it has exactly the same claw, eye and leg stance as mine does. A different back yes, but everything else matches [emoji14] Either way, if it is, it's not in the xanthidae family IMO.
 

Daniel@R2R

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Cool specimen for sure! @Lionfish Lair will be the best person I can think of to help identify this critter.
 

Roboson

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Hmmm, that's a really really hard call. It really could go mithrax or xanthid. The claws are the only thing that worry me, because everything else looks mithrax. Especially the coloration.
 

Bradley Crocker

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There's just too many different species out there, literally hundreds in the family Xanthidae alone. Atergatis has a handful of species that are very similar. Some Platypodiella look dead on except for most of their colors are more vibrant (they're called clown crabs for good reason).

If you're very patient and have nothing else to do, there's about 20 pages of crab ID's on WWM, or you could just ask them.

Great pics BTW!
 

94Roarge

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There's just too many different species out there, literally hundreds in the family Xanthidae alone. Atergatis has a handful of species that are very similar. Some Platypodiella look dead on except for most of their colors are more vibrant (they're called clown crabs for good reason).

If you're very patient and have nothing else to do, there's about 20 pages of crab ID's on WWM, or you could just ask them.

Great pics BTW!
What is WWM? [emoji14]
 

94Roarge

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There's just too many different species out there, literally hundreds in the family Xanthidae alone. Atergatis has a handful of species that are very similar. Some Platypodiella look dead on except for most of their colors are more vibrant (they're called clown crabs for good reason).

If you're very patient and have nothing else to do, there's about 20 pages of crab ID's on WWM, or you could just ask them.

Great pics BTW!
I think you are on the money with Atergatis sp.
 

Bradley Crocker

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What is WWM? [emoji14]
wetwebmedia.com

It's a difficult site to navigate at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's loaded with all sorts of goodies.
I think you are on the money with Atergatis sp.
It seems the closest, but just in the Xanthidae family there's almost 600 species and counting. Maybe this is +1 to the species list?

It's a real shame that crabs as a whole can't behave, I almost forgot how cool they can be until now.
 

94Roarge

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wetwebmedia.com

It's a difficult site to navigate at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's loaded with all sorts of goodies.

It seems the closest, but just in the Xanthidae family there's almost 600 species and counting. Maybe this is +1 to the species list?

It's a real shame that crabs as a whole can't behave, I almost forgot how cool they can be until now.
My one ate a baby sweetlips :'(
 
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Shawn_Palmer

Shawn_Palmer

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I appreciate all the helpful information! My wife also snapped this great picture of his claws last night if it is anymore helpful! IMG_1433.JPG
 

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