Calappa hepatica
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| iCalappa hepatica | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Calappa hepatica Linnaeus, 1758 |
Calappa hepatica is a common benthic crab of tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Red Sea. It is also known as the box crab, shame-faced crab or the tortoise crab, the last two names referring to the animal's appearance, with its two chelipeds (claw-bearing limbs) being used to shield the "face", giving the crab almost impregnable armour. The carapace is covered in small lumps, and is generally white to golden in colour.
