Crab

**Incubus** · 23/06/2006, 08:40

Podrías identificar el siguiente cangrejo? se que es un comerdor de zoántidos.
La foto no es mía, tengo que agradecer a "manu" por dejarme utilizar su foto para propósitos de identificación.

Gracias de antemano

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Could you ID the following crab? as far as I know it is a zoanthid eater.
The photo is not mine, I have to thank "manu" for letting me use his photo for Id purpouses.

Thanks in advance

**rshimek** · 24/06/2006, 11:02

Hi,

It appears to be Platypodia spectabilis. In English, it has the common name of "gaudy clown crab."

They are from the Caribbean, and reach about 2 cm in diameter.

**Reef Man** · 26/06/2006, 10:10

Traducción:

Hola,

Parece ser un Platypodia spectabilis. En ingles, tiene el nombre común de "Cangrejo payaso colorido".

Provienen del Caribe, y alcanzan 2 cm de diametro.

**Incubus** · 26/06/2006, 11:03

Thanks!!!!
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Gracias!!!

**Incubus** · 26/06/2006, 21:14

Well, I google for some info about the behavior of this crab, but looks that there are only species reports, some of them in portuguese...

(by the way, i really do not understand portuguese).

But searching and pseudotranslating I found out that in some places they named the crab as Platypodiella spectabilis my question: which one is actually and currently correct?

And also I found out that it´s family is Xanthidae, is this correct?----> I suppose that it is a opportunistic crab that feeds on whatever it finds and catches, thereby it is not "reef-safe".
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Bueno, busque algo de información acerca del comportamiento de este cangrejo, pero perece que solo hay reportes de especies, algunos de ellos en portugués…

(aprovechando, realmente no entiendo portugués).

Pero buscando y pseudotraduciendo encontré que en algunos lugares le nombraron al cangrejo como Platypodiella spectabilis mi pregunta: cuál es realmente y actualmente correcto?

Y también encontré que su familia es Xanthidae, es esto correcto?----> Supongo que es un cangrejo oportunista que se alimenta de cualquier cosa que encuentra y atrapa, así que no es “arrecife-seguro”.

**rshimek** · 27/06/2006, 12:20

Hi,

Platypodeiella or Platypodia - probably the former name. I suspect I scanned an older reference. On the other hand, what difference does it make? The specific epithet = species name = is what is important, the genus name is artibrary and in this case the change was due to taxonomic rearranging.

It is indeed a xanthid, and it is not reef aquarium safe. On the other hand they are quite attractive little critters and deserve a small tank of their own.

**Incubus** · 27/06/2006, 19:28

thanks for the inputs.

It is indeed a xanthid, and it is not reef aquarium safe. On the other hand they are quite attractive little critters and deserve a small tank of their own.

Agree.