Crabs & lobsters – DECAPODA

European shore crab (Carcinus maenus) at Marino Rocks - Dan Monceaux 2015

At least 131 species of crabs and lobsters (decapoda) have been recorded in South Australian marine waters, according to the Atlas of Living Australia. This list is provisional only, and is awaiting feedback from local marine invertebrate experts.

Genus Species Common name Described
Acanthonyx euryseroche   1986, Griffin & Tranter
Actaea calculosa Facetted crab 1834, H. Milne Edwards
Actumnus setifer Short-haired crab 1835, De Haan
Alpheus australiensis 1982, Banner & Banner
Alpheus bidens Mottled snapping prawn 1811, Olivier
Alpheus gracilis 1861, Heller
Alpheus novaezealandiae New Zealand snapping prawn 1876, Miers
Alpheus parasocialis Social snapping shrimp 1982, Banner & Banner
Alpheus richardsoni Snapping shrimp 1971, Yaldwin
Alpheus villosus Hairy snapping shrimp 1811, Olivier
Ancylocheles gravelei 1963, Sankolli
Antarctus mawsoni 1938, Bage
Arcania elongata 1933, Yokoya
Athanas granti 1908, Coutière
Athanas parvus 1910, de Man
Austrodromidia australis Southern sponge crab 1923, Rathbun
Austrodromidia insignis Adorned sponge crab 1923, Rathbun
Austrodromidia octodentata Bristled sponge crab 1882, Haswell
Austropenaeus nitidus 1947, Barnard
Bellidilia laevis Smooth pebble crab 1855, Bell
Betaeus australis 1860, Stimpson
Brachynotus spinosus Little shore crab 1853, H. Milne Edwards
Calliaxina aequimanus Ambidextrous burrower 1907, Baker
Campylonotus rathbunae Sabre prawn (fao) 1926, Schmitt
Carcinas maenas European shore crab 1758, Linnaeus
Chaenostoma punctulatus Smooth sentinel crab 1884, Miers
Cherax destructor Yabbie 1936, Clark
Cherax destructor albidus White yabbie 1936, Clark
Chlorotocella gracilis 1914, Balss
Chlorotocella spinicaudus Slender-beaked prawn 1837, H. Milne Edwards
Cryptocnemus vincentianus Tortoise-crab 1927, Hale
Cyclograpsus audouinii Smooth shore crab 1837, H. Milne Edwards
Cyclograpsus granulosus Purple-mottled shore crab 1853, H. Milne Edwards
Dagnaudus petterdi Antlered crab 1905, Grant
Dardanus arrosor Striated hermit crab 1796, Herbst
Diogenes senex 1865, Heller
Dromidiopsis Shaggy sponge-crab 1900, Borradaile
Dumea latipes Velvet crab 1880, Haswell
Ebalia crassipes Semi-smooth pebble crab 1855, Bell
Ebalia dentifrons Chubby-cheeked crab 1886, Miers
Ephippias endeavouri Endeavour crab 1918, Rathbun
Galathea australiensis Striated craylet 1858, Stimpson
Galathea corallicola 1882, Haswell
Haledromia bicavernosa Eared sponge crab 1888, Zietz
Halicarcinus ovatus Three-pronged sea spider 1858, Stimpson
Halicarcinus rostratus Beaked sea-spider 1881, Haswell
Helograpsus haswellianus Haswell’s shore crab 1889, Whitelegge
Hippolyte australiensis Southern weed shrimp 1860, Stimpson
Hippolyte caradina Little shrimp 1947, Holthuis
Homola orientalis Carrier crab 1888, Henderson
Huenia halei 1986, Griffin & Tranter
Ibacus alticrenatus Deep water bug (Aust) 1888, Bate
Ibacus peronii Balmain bug (Aust) 1815, Leach
Jasus edwardsii Southern rock lobster 1875, Hutton
Lamarckdromia globosa Shaggy sponge-crab 1818, Lamarck
Latreutes compressus Green prawn 1860, Stimpson
Leptograpsodes octodentalus Burrowing shore crab 1837, H. Milne Edwards
Leptograpsus variegatus Swift-footed shore crab 1793, Fabricius
Leptomithrax gaimardii Great spider crab 1834, H. Milne Edwards
Leptomithrax sternocostulatus Ribbed Spider crab 1851, H. Milne Edwards
Leptomithrax waitei 1900, Whitelegge
Lithodes longispina 1971, Sakai
Litocheira bispinosa Two-spined slender-clawed crab 1856, Kinahan
Lomis hirta Hairy stone crab 1818, Lamarck
Macrophthalmus (macrophthalmus) crassipes 1852, H. Milne Edwards
Megametope carinata Crested forehead-crab 1907, Baker
Megametope rotundifrons Smooth forehead crab 1834, H. Milne Edwards
Melicertus latisulcatus Western king prawn 1896, Kishinouye
Melicertus plebejus Eastern King prawn (Aust & Fao) 1865, Hess
Metapenaeopsis lindae Linda’s velvet prawn 1988, Manning
Metapenaeopsis novaeguineae Northern velvet prawn 1879, Haswell
Microhalimus deflexifrons Decorator crab 1880, Haswell
Micropagurus acantholepis Tiny hermit crab 1858, Stimpson
Munida chydaea 2004, Ahyong & Poore
Naxia aries Ramshorn crab 1834, Guérin-Méneville
Naxia aurita Golden decorator crab 1825, Latreille
Naxia tumida Little decorator crab 1852, Dana
Nectocarcinus integrifrons Rough rock crab 1825, Latreille
Nectocarcinus tuberculosus Rough rock crab 1860, A. Milne Edwards
Neocallichirus angelikae 2000, Sakai
Notiax ceramica Ceramic ghost shrimp 1906, Fulton & Grant
Notomithrax minor Small decorator crab 1885, Filhol
Notomithrax ursus Bear seaweed crab 1788, Herbst
Ostracotheres holothuriensis Striped sea crab 1907, Baker
Ostracotheres subglobosus Swollen pea crab 1907, Baker
Ovalipes australiensis Common sand crab, Surf crab 1968, Stephenson & Rees
Ozius truncatus Reef crab, Black-fingered crab 1834, H. Milne Edwards
Paguristes brevirostris Southern hermit crab 1905, Baker
Paguristes frontalis Common hermit crab 1836, H. Milne Edwards
Paguristes sulcatus Hairy legged hermit crab 1905, Baker
Pagurixus handrecki 1992, Gunn & Morgan
Pagurixus jerviensis 1984, McLaughlin & Haig
Palaemon litoreus Shore shrimp 1909, McCulloch
Palaemon serenus Red handed shrimp, Rock-pool shrimp 1862, Heller
Paragiopagurus diogenes 1900, Whitelegge
Paragrapsus quadridentatus Four-toothed shore crab 1837, H. Milne Edwards
Paramithrax barbicornis Sea Toad 1825, Latreille
Parathranites orientalis 1886, Miers
Pasiphaea 1816, Savigny
Periclimenes Anemone shrimp 1844, Costa
Philocheras obliquus Southern sand shrimp 1902, Fulton & Grant
Philocheras victoriensis Victorian sand shrimp 1902, Fulton & Grant
Pilumnopeus serratifrons Smooth-handed crab 1856, Kinahan
Pilumnus acer Long-spined hairy crab 1923, Rathbun
Pilumnus etheridgei Hairy crab 1923, Rathbun
Pilumnus kingstoni Downy crab 1923, Rathbun
Pilumnus rufopunctatus Red-spotted hairy crab 1858, Stimpson
Pilumnus tomentosus Common hairy crab 1825, Latreille
Pippacirama tuberculosa 1834, H. Milne Edwards
Pisidia dispar Little porcelain crab 1858, Stimpson
Plagusia chabrus Cleft-fronted shore crab 1758, Linnaeus
Plesionika martia Golden shrimp 1883, A. Milne Edwards
Portunus (portunus) pelagicus Blue Swimmer Crab 1758, Linnaeus
Prismatopus spatulifer 1881, Haswell
Pseudopontonia minuta Smooth prawn 1907, Baker
Rhynchocinetes australis Hinge-beak shrimp 1941, Hale
Rhynchocinetes serratus Hinged-beaked prawn 1837, H. Milne Edwards
Schizophrys rufescens 1986, Griffin & Tranter
Stimdromia lamellata Lamellate sponge crab 1894, Ortmann
Stimdromia lateralis Ridged sponge crab 1831, Gray
Strahlaxius plectorhynchus Slow shrimp 1861, Strahl
Strigopagurus elongatus 1995, Forest
Strigopagurus strigimanus Red hermit crab 1847, White
Synalpheus fossor 1875, Paul’son
Synalpheus neomerus 1897, de Man
Synalpheus streptodactylus 1905, Coutière
Synalpheus tumidomanus Fat-handed snapping shrimp 1875, Paul’son
Tokoyo eburnea 1896, Alcock
Tozeuma 1860, Stimpson
Trachypenaeus 1901, Alcock
Trachysalambria curvirostris Hardback prawn 1860, Stimpson
Trigonoplax longirostris Triangle crab 1908, McCulloch
Upogebia 1814, Leach

UPDATE LOG:

  • 1 December 2016 – Dan Monceaux (completed links to ALA species pages and updated some common names)
  • 26 December 2017 – Dan Monceaux (add two alternative common names: Surf crab and Black-fingered crab)
  • 26 February 2018 – Dan Monceaux (added two species from genus Pagurixus)
2 thought on “Crabs & lobsters – DECAPODA”
  1. I think I found the shell of a masked crab at South beach Port Broughton…it was crushed in my pocket .I googled what I thought I saw .

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