Pachygrapsus marmoratus

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Pachygrapsus marmoratus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Grapsidae
Genus: Pachygrapsus
Species:
P. marmoratus
Binomial name
Pachygrapsus marmoratus
(Fabricius, 1787) [1]
Synonyms
  • Cancer marmoratus Fabricius, 1787
  • Cancer femoralis Olivier, 1791
  • Grapsus varius Latreille, 1803
  • Grapsus savignyi De Haan, 1835

Pachygrapsus marmoratus is a

semiterrestrial omnivore, it feeds on algae and various animals including mussels and limpets
.

Description

P. marmoratus has a square carapace 22–36 millimetres (0.87–1.42 in) long, which is dark violet brown with marbling in yellow.[2] It can be distinguished from related species of Pachygrapsus in the Mediterranean Sea (Pachygrapsus maurus and Pachygrapsus transversus)[3] by the presence of three teeth on each side of the carapace.[2] It is capable of very rapid movements, and it uses this ability to dart into crevices, making it difficult to catch.[2]

Distribution

It is widespread in

warming of the surface waters.[6]

Ecology

P. marmoratus is an

algae and animals are consumed however abundant they are in the habitat. The favoured animals in the diet of P. marmoratus are mussels, limpets and its own species.[4] When attacking the limpet Patella depressa, Pachygrapsus marmoratus uses a consistent method, which is usually unsuccessful.[7] On more sheltered shores, P. grapsus eats fewer mussels, but compensates with a greater consumption of barnacles.[8]

Predators of Pachygrapsus marmoratus include the musky octopus, Eledone moschata.[9]

The larvae of P. marmoratus are planktonic and may survive for up to 31 days. This results in high levels of gene flow between populations, and allows the species to rapidly colonise new areas.[10]

References

  1. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology
    . 17: 1–286.
  2. ^ a b c Rose Edwards (2005). "Pachygrapsus marmoratus: a marbled rock crab". Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
  3. doi:10.1163/156854005774353511
    .
  4. ^
    doi:10.1006/ecss.2001.0869
    .
  5. ^ a b Ray W. Ingle & Paul F. Clark (2006). "First reported occurrences of the marbled crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Crustacea: Brachyura: Grapsoidea) in southern coastal waters of the British Isles" (PDF). JMBA2 Biodiversity Records. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21.
  6. doi:10.1017/S1755267209001109
    .
  7. doi:10.1017/S0025315404009294h
    .
  8. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1283-1
    .
  9. PDF). International Journal of Natural and Engineering Sciences. 1 (2): 29–31.[permanent dead link
    ]
  10. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2009.07.032
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pachygrapsus_marmoratus&oldid=1152186403"