Black fingered mud crab
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| Black fingered mud crab | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Panopeus herbstii H. Milne Edwards, 1834 |
The black fingered mud crab (Panopeus herbstii) is a true crab, belonging to the infraorder Brachyura, and is the largest of the mud crabs.
The black fingered mud crab is small, growing up to be about 4 cm. It has black tipped claws of an unequal size. The black fingered mud crab has a strong exoskeleton, with very thick and strong claws. The shell is a dull gray and brown color.
The black fingered mud crab is found on muddy bottoms where it takes refuge under stones and shells or among sponges and weeds, but they are rarely seen in the open.
The black fingered mud crab feeds mainly on young clams, oysters, and periwinkles. It cracks open their shells with its strong claws. Mud crabs are especially fond of hermit crabs, which are grasped by the legs and pulled out of their protective shells. Like most mud crabs, it is a scavenger. Young black fingered mud crabs are an important food source to other marine animals.