Callinectes exasperatus (Gerstaecker, 1856)
Rugose swimcrab
No Picture Available

Family:  Portunidae (swimming crabs)
Max. size:  12.9 cm CW (male/unsexed); 12.4 cm CW (female)
Environment:  benthopelagic; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 75 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific and Western Atlantic: from South Carolina to Florida and Texas, to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama (Miraflores Locks), including the West Indies, to Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Brazil (from Para to Santa Catarina).
Diagnosis:  Carapace less than twice as broad as long; 9 stout teeth on strongly arched anterolateral margin, all except outer orbital tooth and short lateral spine usually swept forward; front bearing 4 well-developed teeth (excluding inner orbital angles). Coarse scattered and transverse lines of granules on convex dorsal surface. Pincers robust, ridges and crests coarsely granulate; fifth legs flattened form of paddles. Male with T-shaped abdomen reaching posterior quarter of thoracic sternite 4; first pleopods reaching slightly beyond suture between thoracic sternites 6 and 7, sinuously curved, overlapping proximally, diverging distally to tips curved abruptly inward, armed distally with scattered minute spinules. Color: adult male dorsally purplish red, more accented on proto-, meso-, and metagastric areas and at base of lateral spines and anterolateral teeth; branchial region and anterolateral teeth obscure maroon; dorsal surface of all legs purplish red with intense orange red on articulations; inferior portions of merus, carpus, and fingers of chelipeds intense violet; internal and external portion of chelae as well as remaining ventral aspect of animal white with tints of soft purple.
Biology:  Maximum depth from Ref. 105697. Inhabits estuaries and shallow oceanic littoral zones, especially in association with mangroves and near river mouths, down to 8 m (Ref. 367). Possibly freshwater (Ref. 95880). Feeds on mollusks, other bottom invertebrates, fishes, carrion and detritus (Ref. 367). Digs the clam D. denticulatus out of the sand with one of its claws then handles and cracks its shell (Ref. 106085).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans: 
Country info:   
 

Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.