Acro Crab Identification Doubt

W

waterbeing

Premium Member
I got 2 of these crabs today with some SPS corals that I picked up and while they were comfortably in the coral and did not appear to be doing any harm, I wasn't sure they were 'acro-crabs' either. The body is just a little smaller than a dime (about 3/4 size) and the spread with the claws outstretched make him about 1 1/2 - 2 inches wide. The claw tips are black colored and they do pinch. As I removed one of them he pinched me (ouch) and wouldn't turn loose and he finally tore off 1 claw and left it connected to my finger. :? . Should I put them back in the coral, banish to the refugium, or make deviled crab :twisted:

Doug
 
I don't trust him yet. He kind of looks like a Porcelain Crab without the feeding nets out. I guess you could put him in the refugium but I doubt you'll find him again after that.
 
Thanks Marc, I checked out the porcelain crabs after your post and they really don't look like the various pictures I found. He *does* look like the acro crab on Marc's page http://www.melevsreef.com/id/crabs.html except for the black tipped claws. Both of the crabs had the black tips and were happily moving around the coral until I removed them. The LFS said one of them was an acro crab, (I don't know that he saw the other one) but I certainly don't want to use just that as my safety factor. They stayed overnight in a bowl together and haven't offered to fight each other either (esp with a missing claw) and so they don't seem too bad from an aggressive stand point. I'd really like for them to stay with the corals, but I'm just not comfortable yet. If I can't find another reference or someone is able to ID it and say the acros *do* have black tips when mature, they may spend their time in the refugium just as a safety factor. Anyone else seen 'em. :D

Doug

Edited: Found this picture and discussion and it does appear to be the same crab. Maybe family Trapeziidae (Trapezia). http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=943d9dbb4ca1fb17700d5e622d2c3750&postid=6694123
Beginning to feel a bit better about putting them back in their respective corals.

Edit Again:
Found another picture of it: http://www.stephenwong.com/gallery/Crustaceans/Crab_Coral_Crab_05_Trapezia_lutea_080103
Apparently Trapezia Lutea commensural crab for pocillipora.
 
That's encouraging all right. If that is what you have, let's add it to the friendlies list. I'll be happy to add it to my ID page if you want.
 
Marc,
That would be great. You may use the picture or I can take a few more while they are still in the bowl if you want. With the 2nd edited info above on species/genus I think we have a good ID now. Let me know.

Doug
 
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