Flamboyant Box Crab (Calappa flammea)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Calappa flammea
- Common name
- Flamboyant Box Crab
- Category
- Crustaceans
- Family
- Calappidae
- Genus
- Calappa
- Size
- 8–15 cm
- Depth
- 10–100 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- sandy-bottom, muddy-bottom
- Behaviours
- benthic, nocturnal
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Caribbean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Calappa flammea reaches 15 cm. Box crab (Calappidae) from Indo-Pacific. Flamboyant orange to brick-red carapace, massive red claws. Flattened morphology allows carapace as lid. Inhabitant of coastal sandy-muddy zones 10-100 m. Nocturnal: buries in sand by day, hunts at night. Mollusk and small crustacean predator. Lightly fished = LC. Observable on night dives or ROV video.
Photo of Flamboyant Box Crab
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Flamboyant Box Crab?
- Flamboyant Box Crab (Calappa flammea) reaches 8–15 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Flamboyant Box Crab?
- Flamboyant Box Crab is found between 10–100 m deep.
- Is the Flamboyant Box Crab dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Flamboyant Box Crab?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Flamboyant Box Crab?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Caribbean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Calappa
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 158052)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 5178369)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia