Zebrida
Genus of crabs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zebrida is a small genus of distinctive striped crabs, known as zebra crabs, that live in association with sea urchins in the Indo-Pacific.
| Zebrida | |
|---|---|
| |
| Zebrida adamsii | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Pilumnidae |
| Subfamily: | Eumedoninae |
| Genus: | Zebrida White, 1847 |
| Species [1] | |
| |
Description
Zebrida was described by Arthur Adams as "a torpid, though elegant little crustacean".[2] It is "the most unusual" of the genera in the subfamily Eumedoninae, with long spines projecting from the body, and a distinctive pattern of stripes across the exoskeleton.[3]
Taxonomy and distribution
The genus was thought to be monotypic for a long time, but in 1999, Peter Ng & Diana Chia recognised two additional species, bringing the total number to three.[3]
- Zebrida adamsii is widespread in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia.
- Zebrida brevicarinata is only known from Western Australia.
- Zebrida longispina is only known from Western Australia.
Ecology and life cycle
Crabs of the genus Zebrida live, often in pairs, in association with sea urchins,[4] including Toxopneustes pileolus, Toxopneustes elegans, Tripneustes gratilla, Diadema setosum, Asthenosoma ijimai, Salmacis bicolor, Salmacis virgulata, Heliocidaris crassispina, Pseudocentrotus depressus and a species of Acanthocidaris.[3][5]
Z. adamsii passes through four zoeal phases, and one megalopa phase before reaching the mature condition.[6]
