Lissoporcellana sp./Porcelain Crab - but which species?

[waso 0]

Hi,

 

I took this picture in Lembeh at Nudi Retreat in last July - obviously it shows a Porcelain Crab.

 

By wahrmut

 

 

Does anybody have some hints about the species? I couldn't find anything yet.

 

Cheers

 

Wahrmut

[Leslie 0]

Nope, wrong family. It's a portunidae, genus Caphyra. Depending on the markings on the back this is identified as C. bedoti, C. unidentata, or C. yookadai.

[waso 0]

Thanks for your help, Leslie!

 

It's very hard to find any pics from Caphyra sp. on the web but as far as I see, it can't be C. unidentata or C. yookadai because both species have some dots on their backs.

The crab on my photograph seems to have no dots at all although I haven't made a real good ID photo for comparison.

I found a very small picture from Caphyra bedoti on the web and it seems that this species also has some kind of spots - very confusing.

The only picture I have is from the side and it shows a tiny little bit of it's backside but I first have to convert the RAW to JPEG and than I'll upload it here.

 

You are absolutely sure that is must be the genus Caphyra?

 

Thanks so far!

 

Wahrmut

[waso 0]

Ok, here is a crop from another picture that shows at least a little bit of the back.

 

By wahrmut

 

 

To me it seems like there isn't any spot on it's back.

What do you think?

 

Cheers

 

Wahrmut

[Leslie 0]

I'm 95% sure it's Caphyra but I admit I jumped the gun on species by assuming that there were spots on the back. Caphyra laevis is also a Xenia commensal & ranges from white with lots of brown markings to all white so that's another possibility. There's somewhere between 15 & 20 species in the genus; many of them are octocoral associates. As usual it takes a specimen in hand to accurately id something.

 

Drew -- please note that I am NOT asking for specimens, just telling it like it is!

[waso 0]

Thanks again, Leslie!

 

I was searching the web for Caphyra laevis and found only pics with markings on the back :-((:

http://www.unterwasserfoto.ch/pictdb/pictd...IND20080416_050

http://www.unterwasserfoto.ch/pictdb/pictd...IND20080416_048

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2408503780064828159OVKOvL

http://www.webshots.com/search?query=Caphy...+Bechu+PB150290

 

Do you have pictures of Caphyra sp. with no markings at all?

Would be a great help!

 

Cheers

 

Wahrmut

[Leslie 0]

Here's two - the first one is identified as a Quadrella but I think the id is wrong and it's a Caphyra

http://www.aurumspace.com/galerie_ansicht....eite=4&erw=

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mathieumeur/364497010/

[waso 0]

Here's two - the first one is identified as a Quadrella but I think the id is wrong and it's a Caphyra

http://www.aurumspace.com/galerie_ansicht....eite=4&erw=

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mathieumeur/364497010/

Oh yes, both of them are looking very similar to mine and they don't show any markings on their backs - as far as I see.

I'm almost 100% sure that the 1st link doesn't show a Quadrella granulosa.

Teresa (on the starfish.ch site) usually is very percise with her IDs and her Quadrella granulosa looks like this:

http://www.starfish.ch/Fotos/crustaceans-G...-granulosa1.jpg

 

Veeery complicated!

 

Cheers

[Leslie 0]

Be careful about ids on any web site or guide book. Even the best ones like Zubi's have mistakes & the worst ones are just horrible. Sometimes the identification is wrong (like the phoronid Zubi has listed as a polychaete) or it's an out of date name like Quadrella granulosa. A little digging shows that several Quadrella experts agree that granulosa is the same thing as Quadrella coronata. Since coronata is the older name that's the one that is valid. I also make mistakes all the time from relying too much on photos.