Two-toned fiddler crab | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Infraorder: | Brachyura |
Family: | Ocypodidae |
Subfamily: | Gelasiminae |
Genus: | Gelasimus |
Species: | G. vomeris
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Binomial name | |
Gelasimus vomeris (
McNeill, 1920)
|
Gelasimus vomeris is a species of fiddler crab found in the southwest Pacific Ocean. In Australia, it is found in the east and north from Darwin to Sydney. [1]
It is commonly known as the two-toned fiddler crab, orange-clawed fiddler crab or Southern calling fiddler crab, however the common name orange-clawed fiddler crab is also used for the fiddler crab Tubuca coarctata. [2] Previous binomial names include Uca vomeris and Uca vocans vomeris.
The carapace is up to 30 mm across, [3] black-brown with blue patches to varying extent. Adult males have an enlarged claw with a grey or pink upper finger, and orange lower finger and hand. [3] Like other fiddler crabs the claw is used to scare or fight other males, and in waving displays to attract females. The lower male claw has a large triangular protection in the most distant part from the body. [4]
If caught, the colors of Gelasimus vomeris crabs will become less brilliant within minutes, [5] and in response to the presence of predators in an area, the blue color of these fiddler crabs will change over a few days to a dull muddy brown. [6]
The preferred habitat of these crabs is unshaded sandy mud. They are found in bays, estuaries and creeks, [1] living in burrows at lower tide levels which they stay close to, typically <1 m while feeding. [7] There is a predominance of right handed individuals in colonies, one study finding left handed individuals forming only 1.4% of the study population. [8]
Two-toned fiddler crab | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Infraorder: | Brachyura |
Family: | Ocypodidae |
Subfamily: | Gelasiminae |
Genus: | Gelasimus |
Species: | G. vomeris
|
Binomial name | |
Gelasimus vomeris (
McNeill, 1920)
|
Gelasimus vomeris is a species of fiddler crab found in the southwest Pacific Ocean. In Australia, it is found in the east and north from Darwin to Sydney. [1]
It is commonly known as the two-toned fiddler crab, orange-clawed fiddler crab or Southern calling fiddler crab, however the common name orange-clawed fiddler crab is also used for the fiddler crab Tubuca coarctata. [2] Previous binomial names include Uca vomeris and Uca vocans vomeris.
The carapace is up to 30 mm across, [3] black-brown with blue patches to varying extent. Adult males have an enlarged claw with a grey or pink upper finger, and orange lower finger and hand. [3] Like other fiddler crabs the claw is used to scare or fight other males, and in waving displays to attract females. The lower male claw has a large triangular protection in the most distant part from the body. [4]
If caught, the colors of Gelasimus vomeris crabs will become less brilliant within minutes, [5] and in response to the presence of predators in an area, the blue color of these fiddler crabs will change over a few days to a dull muddy brown. [6]
The preferred habitat of these crabs is unshaded sandy mud. They are found in bays, estuaries and creeks, [1] living in burrows at lower tide levels which they stay close to, typically <1 m while feeding. [7] There is a predominance of right handed individuals in colonies, one study finding left handed individuals forming only 1.4% of the study population. [8]