Liocarcinus pusillus
| Liocarcinus pusillus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Portunidae |
| Genus: | Liocarcinus |
| Species: | L. pusillus |
| Binomial name | |
| Liocarcinus pusillus (Leach, 1815) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Liocarcinus pusillus, common name dwarf swimming crab,[3] is a species of crab in the Portunidae family.[4]
Description
Liocarcinus pusillus is a small, colourful species with a broad, suboval carapace having a maximum width of 25 mm (1.0 in). However, most specimens are usually less than 20 mm (0.8 in).[4][5][5] This species occurs in a wide range of colours.[4] The front has three sharpened tusks, directed forward.[3]
Distribution
Liocarcinus pusillus occurs from North-West Africa, to Lofoten, Norway[4][5] including the North Sea.[3] It is found around the shores of: England, in such places as Northumberland, Yorkshire, The Wash, Thames, the eastern English Channel, Isle of Wight, Portland, Plymouth, the Scilly Isles, the Bristol Channel, Liverpool Bay; Scotland - Shetland, Orkney, Firth of Forth, Argyll and Clyde, The Minch; Ireland, occurring in and around Dublin, Belfast, Mayo, Galway Bay, Fastnet, Cork; and elsewhere in the British Isles including the Channel Islands, Anglesey and the Isle of Man.[6]
Habitat
Specimens range intertidally up to 100 metres,[5] dwelling on sandy to stony bottoms,[4][6] but prefer gravel or stony substrates.
References
- ↑ Peter K. L. Ng, Danièle Guinot & Peter J. F. Davie (2008). "Systema Brachyurorum: Part I. An annotated checklist of extant Brachyuran crabs of the world" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 17: 1–286.
- ↑ P. Davie, C. Fransen & M. Türkay (2010). "Liocarcinus pusillus (Leach, 1816)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Marine Species: Liocarcinus pusillus". Skaphandrus.com. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Liocarcinus pusillus". Seawater.no. March 20, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Liten svømmekrabbe - Liocarcinus pusillus" (in Norwegian). Marinbi.com. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mario de Kluiver & Sarita Ingualso. "Liocarcinus pusillus". Macrobenthos of the North Sea - Crustacea. Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved August 5, 2010.