IOTM:Crabs I- Emerald crabs

[celacanthr]

Originally Posted by wax32
Mine can't do that, I don't have an anemone.

<_<

 

[mudplayerx]

Be wary of your emerald crab (all crabs/shrimp for that matter) when feeding your corals and other inverts. Crabs/shrimp will pull food from corals, possibly damaging the corals. The best way to avoid this is to feed your crabs/shrimp prior to feeding the corals.
Here are some more Emerald Crab pics. One included is a Red Emercal Crab.

 

[celacanthr]

Is the red one actually a Mithrax sculptus ?

 

[wax32]

It probably is just a different color morph. I have had some that were blue. It's possible that it is a distinct species though. How about Mithrax rouge?

 

[celacanthr]

Well, what about Mithrax forceps ? It has an almost identical body shape, but it is brown/orange/red.

 

[wax32]

I googled it and it seems like that is what it is. I also learned that Mithrax isn't the valid genus name anymore. Mithraculus forceps seems to be what it has changed to in newer publications.

 

[celacanthr]

Are you saying that Mithrax isn't the preffered genus name for Mithrax forceps, or are you talking about them changing the genus of Mithrax sculptus to Mithraculus?

 

[wax32]

Mithrax to Mithraculus as of 2004 taxonomy.

 

[celacanthr]

you edited your post when i was posting
I have seen Mithraculus as the new genus name for M. sculptus, not for M. forceps. If you still have my e-mail addy can you send me a link to on of those publications?

 

[wax32]

So the crabs would be Mithraculus forceps and Mithraculus sculptus.
... yep I did!
I will email ya the link...

 

[celacanthr]

ACK! you did it again! LOL
I have heard that they seperated M. sculptus, adn the rest of the Mithrax crabs into 2 different genuses, Mithraculus for M. sculptus, and Left all of the others in Mithrax.

 

[celacanthr]

Ok, I got the e-mail. I stand corrected! So did they put all of the former Mithrax crabs intothe new genus name Mithraculus?

 

[wax32]

Looking at the databases I searched it seems Mithrax is now invalid and Mithraculus is the valid name for all of those "mithrax" crabs. Taxonomy is like sand in the desert... it shifts a lot and frequently!

 

[celacanthr]

ok, I rechecked the link you sent me, and they did in fact move all of the Mithrax crabs into the new genus Mithraculus...cool.
Thanx wax!

 

[wax32]

I'm not saying I looked up every crab though...
I'd guess they moved them all.

 

[wax32]

Team work!

 

[wax32]

Now I need to change my image!

 

[celacanthr]

Originally Posted by wax32
Looking at the databases I searched it seems Mithrax is now invalid and Mithraculus is the valid name for all of those "mithrax" crabs. Taxonomy is like sand in the desert... it shifts a lot and frequently!

Well, it doesn't seem to shift so much in the "higher" life forms. i am sure Ophiura could testify to the constantly changing names of the "lower" life forms though.
I wonder why in the world they would even make a point of changing the name "Mithrax" into "Mithraculus" when they just keep all of the crabs together still?

 

[celacanthr]

YA DID IT AGAIN! LOL
Team work! I am pretty sure they did in fact keep all of them together.

 

[celacanthr]

yep, they kept all of 6 of the former Mithrax together.
Mithraculus ruber
M. pleuracanthus
M. hispidus
M. forceps
M. sculptus
M. coryphe
Interestingly enough, Mithraculus crabs are actually in the Super Family Majoidea, the spider crabs...which includes the decorators.... cool....