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Non-fish Identification: Find Species

Family: Calappidae box crabs (See list of species below)

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Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional)



39 species with fin ray counts including ? spines in dorsal and ? in anal fins (see list below)
No picture found

Acanthocarpus alexandri
[Gladiator box crab]
No picture found

Acanthocarpus bispinosus
[Twospine box crab]
No picture found

Calappa bilineata
[]


Calappa calappa
[Giant box crab]
No picture found

Calappa capellonis
[]
No picture found

Calappa clypeata
[]
No picture found

Calappa convexa
[Shame faced crab]
No picture found

Calappa flammea
[Flame box crab]
No picture found

Calappa galloides
[]


Calappa gallus
[Rough box crab]


Calappa granulata
[Shamefaced crab]


Calappa hepatica
[Reef box crab]
No picture found

Calappa japonica
[]


Calappa lophos
[Common box crab]
No picture found

Calappa ocellata
[Ocellated box crab]


Calappa pelii
[Spiny box crab]


Calappa philargius
[Spectacled box crab]
No picture found

Calappa rubroguttata
[Spotted box crab]
No picture found

Calappa sebastieni
[]
No picture found

Calappa sulcata
[Yellow box crab]
No picture found

Calappa tortugae
[]
No picture found

Calappa woodmasoni
[]
No picture found

Cryptosoma bairdii
[Shameface heart crab]
No picture found

Cryptosoma balguerii
[]
No picture found

Cycloes granulosa
[]
No picture found

Cycloes marisrubri
[Wingless box crab]
No picture found

Cyclozodion angustum
[Nodose box crab]
No picture found

Cyclozodion tuberatum
[]
No picture found

Matuta planipes
[Flower moon crab]
No picture found

Matuta victor
[Common moon crab]
No picture found

Mursia armata
[]
No picture found

Mursia aspera
[]
No picture found

Mursia bicristimana
[]
No picture found

Mursia hawaiiensis
[]
No picture found

Mursia microspina
[]
No picture found

Mursia poupini
[]
No picture found

Mursia spinimanus
[]
No picture found

Paracyclois atlantis
[]
No picture found

Platymera gaudichaudii
[Armed box crab]
39 Species of Family Calappidae
(box crabs)
Sort by: Species Length
Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
Acanthocarpus alexandri Gladiator box crab Western Atlantic Ocean.
Acanthocarpus bispinosus Twospine box crab Western Atlantic Ocean.
Calappa bilineata Eastern Indian Ocean
Calappa calappa Giant box crab Indo-Pacific 13 CW
Calappa capellonis Indo-West Pacific
Calappa clypeata Indo-West Pacific
Calappa convexa Shame faced crab Southeast Pacific
Calappa flammea Flame box crab Western Atlantic Ocean.
Calappa galloides Atlantic Ocean. 6 CL
Calappa gallus Rough box crab Atlantic and Indo-Pacific 6 CL
Calappa granulata Shamefaced crab Eastern Atlantic and the 10 CL
Calappa hepatica Reef box crab Indo-Pacific 8 CW
Calappa japonica Indo-Pacific
Calappa lophos Common box crab Indo-Pacific 10 CW
Calappa ocellata Ocellated box crab Western Atlantic Ocean.
Calappa pelii Spiny box crab Eastern Atlantic 7.6 CL
Calappa philargius Spectacled box crab Indo-Pacific. 12 CW
Calappa rubroguttata Spotted box crab Eastern Atlantic 10.8 CW
Calappa sebastieni Eastern Central Pacific
Calappa sulcata Yellow box crab Western Atlantic Ocean.
Calappa tortugae Western Atlantic Ocean.
Calappa woodmasoni Western Central Pacific
Cryptosoma bairdii Shameface heart crab Eastern Pacific and South 5.51 CW
Cryptosoma balguerii Western Atlantic Ocean.
Cycloes granulosa Indo-West Pacific.
Cycloes marisrubri Wingless box crab Indo-Pacific.
Cyclozodion angustum Nodose box crab Southwest Atlantic
Cyclozodion tuberatum Western Central Atlantic.
Matuta planipes Flower moon crab Indo-West Pacific and Atl 11.5 CW
Matuta victor Common moon crab Indo-Pacific 5 CW
Mursia armata Western Pacific
Mursia aspera Southeast Pacific
Mursia bicristimana Indo-Pacific
Mursia hawaiiensis Eastern Pacific
Mursia microspina Western Pacific
Mursia poupini Eastern Central Pacific
Mursia spinimanus Eastern Central Pacific
Paracyclois atlantis Western Central Atlantic. 4.55 CL
Platymera gaudichaudii Armed box crab Eastern Pacific.



Other identification tools in SeaLifeBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
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