Arcania cornuta
Scientific Name:-
Arcania cornutaCommon Name:-
Purse Crab
Malayalam Name:-
Purse Njandu
Category:-
Crabs
Status:-
Not evaluated
Description:-
Carapace rhomboidal, very minutely granulate; granules somewhat larger on gastric region. The front region is well produced and obtusely bidentate with a median groove on upper surface. Carapace quite smooth except in the gastric region. Lateral spine long, robust, basally ringed with perliform granules; acute or rounded. The regions of carapace well marked by minute depressions. The posterior region of carapace consists of a median tubercle, below which on either side; armed with a pair of papilliform tubercles constricted at the base and granulated. The tips of these tubercles are obtusely pointed. Posterolateral margin oblique. Chelipeds slender, long; in adult male merus longer than carapace, minutely granulate, bearing tubercle proximally on posterior margin; carpus, propodus smooth; propodus dorso-ventrally flattened, thicker basally, fingers filiform, half as long as upper margin of palm. Pereiopods filiform, subcylindrical, smooth, dactylus closely setose anteriorly. The abdomen of male very elongated; consisting four segments whereas in case of females the third abdominal segment large in size and longitudinally ovate. The propodus of chelate legs tapering towards tip. The hepatic regions slightly swollen; a tubercle present in middle point of subhepatic regions on either side. The most peculiar identifying feature of this specimen is the presence of one spiny process each on either side of the carapace at the junction between antero-lateral and postero-lateral borders. In live condition, the specimen is orange peach coloured. The cutting edge of mandible almost triangular. Antennae about one third the length of antennule.
Remark:-
Bijukumar et al. (2013) and Sushilkumar (2013) recorded it from the trawl by-catch along Kerala coast.
Habitat:-
Muddy and Sandy.
Synonyms:-
Arcania Spinixa Zarenkov, 1994; Ixoides Cornuta Mac Gilchrist, 1905
References:-
Biju Kumar, A., Sushil Kumar, M, and Galil, B.S. (2013). Calappid and leucosiid crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) from Kerala, India, with the description of a new species of Mursia Desmarest, 1823, from the Arabian Sea and redescription of M. bicristimana Alcock & Anderson, 1894. Zootaxa, 3746 (4): 529-551.
Sushilkumar, M. (2013). Diversity and proximate composition of brachyuran crabs in the trawl by-catch of Kerala coast. PhD Thesis submitted to University of Kerala, India.