3 Crab species from North Sulawesi

[Dave H 0]

okay, here are 3 crab species from Lembeh in North Sulawesi that I'm struggling to ID. I have searched through Debelius (Crustacea Guide of the World) and some other reference books and either I'm blind or they are not in there!

 

 

 

 

yep, it's a Hermit crab - I'd really like to know which species it is! It looks to be a Dardanus species.

[Leslie 0]

I need my books too but they live at home & I live at work these days. So more guesses.....

 

First one is a cute little portunid, possibly a Charybdis.

 

Second is a sponge carrier crab, family Dromiidae. It's missing it's sponge - that's why you didn't recognize it I bet.

 

Third does look like some images of Dardanus lagopodes but it lacks the dark spots on the legs (see the image on the Marianas biodiversity site www.flmnh.ufl.edu). Incidentally, I noticed you have a Dardanus lagopodes on one of your websites which has red legs with white bands at the joints; it looks identical to some labelled Dardanus crassimanus on japanese sites. Sorry, I guess this was more of an "un-identification" and not very helpful.....