Description

Ringed Foot Crab (Lydia annulipes) is a species of crab in the family Oziidae. Coloration varies from brown to red brown to purple, with purple or red brown bands on the walking legs.

Distribution & Habitat:

Native across a broad Indo-Pacific range—from Somalia to Madagascar, Seychelles, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Hawaii, and other tropical islands—it occurs in shallow reef zones and intertidal rock pools at depths up to ~5 m.

Identification Features:

• Size: Typically grows to about 20 mm carapace width (~2 cm).

• Color Pattern: Legs and claws sport banded coloration—ranging from brown, red-brown to purple rings—giving rise to its common name. The carapace is oval and wider than long, with five lateral lobes and a prominently toothed right claw that is often larger than the left.