Porcelain Crabs

Porcellanidae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Superorder: Eucarida
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Anomura
Superfamily: Galatheoidea
Family: Porcellanidae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Porcellanidae: //ˌpɔːrˈsɛlənɪdiː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Euceramus praelongus (I0741) (14264448778) by Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Petrolisthes armatus Texas PWD by Texas PWD (Brenda Bowler). Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Petrolisthes eriomerus 34398316 by Randal. Used under a CC0 license.

Petrolisthes eriomerus 72493162 by Marilynne Box. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Petrolisthes eriomerus 85775210 by Marilynne Box. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Petrolisthes eriomerus 19937667 by DISCO. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Summary

Porcelain crabs, part of the family Porcellanidae, are small decapod crustaceans adapted for hiding under rocks, with flattened bodies and three pairs of walking legs. They first appeared in the Tithonian age of the Late Jurassic epoch and are found in oceans worldwide, except the polar regions.

Physical Characteristics

Porcelain crabs have flattened bodies, usually with body widths less than 15 millimetres (9/16 inch). They have reduced hind legs, three pairs of walking legs, and large chelae (claws) used for territorial struggles, not for capturing food. The fifth pair of pereiopods is reduced and used for cleaning.

Identification Tips

Adults can be recognized by their reduced hind legs curled around the abdomen and their three pairs of walking legs. Zoea can be recognized by their extremely elongated rostrum.

Habitat

Porcelain crabs inhabit various marine environments, commonly found under rocks in coastal areas and rocky shorelines.

Distribution

Porcelain crabs are found in all the world's oceans, except the Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic.

Diet

Porcelain crabs feed by combing plankton and organic particles from the water using long setae on their mouthparts.

Reproduction

Information on reproduction is not provided in the text.

Predators

Porcelain crabs are delicate and may lose limbs to predators, but specific predators are not mentioned.

Ecosystem Role

Porcelain crabs play a role in their ecosystem as part of the food web, feeding on plankton and organic matter.

Evolution

Porcelain crabs exhibit carcinisation, evolving from a non-crab-like ancestor, resembling true crabs only superficially. They can be distinguished from true crabs by their number of walking legs and long antennae.

Similar Taxa

true crabs
squat lobsters

Misconceptions

Although they resemble true crabs, porcelain crabs are not true crabs and have distinct morphological differences.