Handedness
Guides
Panopeus lacustris
knot-fingered mud crab
Panopeus lacustris, commonly known as the knot-fingered mud crab, is a small true crab (infraorder Brachyura) in the family Panopeidae. It is distinguished by unequal-sized chelae, with the larger claw being exceptionally broad, knobbly, and bearing teeth in the molar area with an immobile finger. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in size, with males typically larger than females. It is native to the subtropical western Atlantic but has been introduced to Hawaii and the Pacific coast of California. The species serves as a host for the parasitic barnacle Loxothylacus panopaei, which manipulates crab behavior and causes functional castration.