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Non-fish Identification: Find Species

Family: Grapsidae shore, marsh, and talon crabs (See list of species below)

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Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional)



21 species in Pacific, Eastern Central with fin ray counts including ? spines in dorsal and ? in anal fins (see list below)


Geograpsus crinipes
[]
No picture found

Geograpsus depressus
[]


Geograpsus grayi
[]
No picture found

Geograpsus stormi
[]


Goniopsis cruentata
[Purple mangrove crab]


Grapsus albolineatus
[Mottled crab]


Grapsus grapsus
[Lightfoot crab]
No picture found

Grapsus longitarsis
[]
No picture found

Grapsus tenuicrustatus
[Natal lightfoot crab]


Leptograpsus variegatus
[Rock crabs]


Metopograpsus messor
[]
No picture found

Metopograpsus oceanicus
[]
No picture found

Metopograpsus thukuhar
[]
No picture found

Pachygrapsus fakaravensis
[Polynesian grapsid crab]
No picture found

Pachygrapsus minutus
[]
No picture found

Pachygrapsus planifrons
[]
No picture found

Pachygrapsus plicatus
[Pleated rock crab]


Pachygrapsus transversus
[African matchbox crab]
No picture found

Planes major
[]
No picture found

Thalassograpsus harpax
[]


Varuna litterata
[Peregrine crab]
21 Species of Family Grapsidae
(shore, marsh, and talon crabs)
Sort by: Species Length
Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
Geograpsus crinipes Indian Ocean and Southeas
Geograpsus depressus Eastern Central Pacific
Geograpsus grayi Indo-West Pacific
Geograpsus stormi Indo-Pacific. Tropical t
Goniopsis cruentata Purple mangrove crab Atlantic Ocean 5.6 CW
Grapsus albolineatus Mottled crab Indo-West Pacific. 5.914 CL
Grapsus grapsus Lightfoot crab Indo-Pacific and Atlantic 7.7 CL
Grapsus longitarsis Indo-Pacific.
Grapsus tenuicrustatus Natal lightfoot crab Indo-Pacific 8 CW
Leptograpsus variegatus Rock crabs Southwest Atlantic and In
Metopograpsus messor Indo-Pacific. 2.545 CL
Metopograpsus oceanicus Indo-West Pacific
Metopograpsus thukuhar Indo-Pacific 2.325 CL
Pachygrapsus fakaravensis Polynesian grapsid crab Indo-Pacific. 5 CW
Pachygrapsus minutus Indo-Pacific
Pachygrapsus planifrons Indo-Pacific.
Pachygrapsus plicatus Pleated rock crab Indo-Pacific.
Pachygrapsus transversus African matchbox crab Atlantic, Pacific and the 1.5 CL
Planes major Indo-Pacific and the Atla
Thalassograpsus harpax Indo-Pacific. 1.273 CL
Varuna litterata Peregrine crab Indo-West Pacific. 5.39 CW



Other identification tools in SeaLifeBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
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