Description

Identification & Appearance:

• Small to medium-sized crab, with a carapace width up to about 8 cm (3.15″).

• Brown, oval carapace covered in tubercles or granules; edges feature small teeth decreasing toward the rear.

• Named “redeye” due to its bright red eyes; white eye stalks are often visible.

• Features asymmetric claws—one larger, blunt for crushing, and a smaller sharper one for cutting.

• Legs are typically hairy, and claw dactyls may be lighter or cream-colored.

Habitat & Distribution:

• Native to the Indo-Pacific region, spanning from Japan, China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, all the way west to Australia, Christmas and Cocos Islands, India, Oman, and East Africa.

• Commonly found in intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, particularly among rocky shores, crevices, coral rubble, and reef flats, at depths up to around 6 m.

Behavior & Ecology:

• Nocturnal and aggressive; will wedge tightly into rocky crevices and, when disturbed, may spread its claws in a defensive posture.

• Feeds predominantly on other crustaceans and mollusks—its powerful claws can crush snail shells and hermit crabs.

• Sometimes mildly toxic and generally not suitable for consumption—cases of mild poisoning have been reported in parts of its range.