Ebalia tumefacta
Species of crab
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ebalia tumefacta, sometimes called Bryer's nut crab,[2] is a species of crab in the family Leucosiidae.[1]
| Ebalia tumefacta | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Leucosiidae |
| Genus: | Ebalia |
| Species: | E. tumefacta |
| Binomial name | |
| Ebalia tumefacta (Montagu, 1808) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Description
Ebalia tumefacta is a small, roughly diamond-shaped crab, with noticeably bulbous branchial regions. The carapace is wider than it is long, and has minute bumps, giving it a somewhat rough texture. It grows to about 12 millimetres (0.47 in) long and 13 mm (0.51 in) wide. The colouration varies greatly. Although some may have a variegated brown and black carapace, it usually ranges from reddish to greyish-white or yellowish-grey. Sometimes it may have red spots, and occasionally may contain an orange margin and a pale pink median band.[3] The shell has a fine, granular texture. The arms are equal in length and the claws are roughly equal in size.[2]
Distribution
This species is found from West Africa to Norway, and is especially common around the British Isles;[4] it does not occur in the Mediterranean Sea.[2]
Habitat
Ebalia tumefacta lives in muddy sand and gravel at depths of 2–15 metres (6 ft 7 in – 49 ft 3 in).[2]