Parasesarma erythrodactyla

Parasesarma erythrodactyla, also known as the red-handed shore crab, is a burrowing crab inhabiting mangrove forests in Australia and Southeast Asia. It is immediately identifiable by its bright red chelipeds (claws) and green/brown carapace.

Parasesarma erythrodactyla
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Order:
Decapoda
Infraorder:
Brachyura
Family:
Sesarmidae
Genus:
Parasesarma
Species:
P. erythrodactyla
Binomial name
Parasesarma erythrodactyla
(Hess, 1865)

Distribution of P. erythrodactyla occurs mainly in tropical and subtropical regions along eastern Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea and India. They may also occur along southern Australia (to be verified).

P. erythrodactyla relies mangrove leaf detritus for about 65%-80% of its nutrition,[1] and on benthic microalgae such as diatoms for between 20% and 35% of its nutrition.[2]

Sesarmid crabs are generally considered to be a monophyletic taxon (that is, all genetically deriving from a common ancestor) of Grapsoidea, but recent reclassifications of the genera Sesarma and Parasesarma (both considered polyphyletic) have resulted in a reshuffling of the species.[3]

A type specimen exists in the Melbourne Museum Discovery Centre (object drawer 15).[4]

References
  1. R. M. Connolly & J. M. Oakes (2007). "Carbon pathways in estuarine foodwebs: stable isotope evidence further enriched". AMSA Conference Abstract Oral Proceedings: 26.
  2. J. M. Oakes, R. M. Connolly & A. T. Revill. "Enriched carbon isotope labelling to trace the contribution of benthic microalgae to the nutrition of consumers in mangrove forests". AMSA Conference Abstract Oral Proceedings: 26.
  3. C. D. Schubart; D. Cannicci; M. Vannini; S. Fratini (2006). "Molecular phylogeny of grapsoid crabs (Decapoda, Brachyura) and allies based on two mitochondrial genes and a proposal for refraining from current superfamily classification". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 44 (3): 193–199. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2006.00354.x.
  4. Melbourne Museum. "Parasesarma erythrodactyla". Discovery Centre. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
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