Gecarcinus lateralis
Encyclopedia
Gecarcinus lateralis, also known by the common name
s blackback land crab, Bermuda land crab, red land crab (leading to easy confusion with Gecarcoidea natalis) and moon crab (leading to easy confusion with G. quadratus and Cardisoma
spp.), is a colourful crab
from the family
Gecarcinidae.
coast from South Padre Island
, Texas
south to Macuto
, Venezuela
. It also inhabits the Florida Keys
and the islands of the Caribbean
.
in relations to the Pacific Gecarcinus quadratus is disputed, with many considering it and G. lateralis to be conspecific. Another closely related species, Gecarcinus ruricola
, occurs together with G. lateralis in the tropical western Atlantic, but its carapace
is typically almost entirely blackish, dark maroon
, purplish or yellowish.
("back"). The legs, claws and outer sections of the carapace are reddish, orange or whitish. The carapace may reach a width of up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in).
es and nearby hills, around 6–9 m (19.7–29.5 ) above the highest high tide mark, where there is no standing water, but significant interstitial moisture. They need to return to the ocean to breed (the larvae
are released into the sea). Furthermore, its gills need to be moist all the time, or it will die. Compared to most other crustaceans, its blood also has a higher oxygen
carrying capacity. It is largely herbivorous, but will take animal matter if available.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s blackback land crab, Bermuda land crab, red land crab (leading to easy confusion with Gecarcoidea natalis) and moon crab (leading to easy confusion with G. quadratus and Cardisoma
Cardisoma
Cardisoma is a genus of large land crabs. Three species formerly placed in this genus are now placed in Discoplax. The four species that remain in Cardisoma are found in warm coastal regions where they live in burrows...
spp.), is a colourful crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
from the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Gecarcinidae.
Distribution
It is found along the AtlanticAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast from South Padre Island
South Padre Island
South Padre Island is a barrier island in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located in Cameron County and is a popular vacation destination because the resort city South Padre Island is located on the island. The island itself is considered to have been settled by Padre Jose Nicolas Balli, who had a...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
south to Macuto
Macuto, Vargas
Macuto is a city in Vargas state, Venezuela.Macuto was founded in August 1740 on the site of an indigenous village called Guaicamacuto . It is known for its beaches, and for the town of Galipán, famous for its flowers....
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. It also inhabits the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
and the islands of the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Relatives
The taxonomyTaxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
in relations to the Pacific Gecarcinus quadratus is disputed, with many considering it and G. lateralis to be conspecific. Another closely related species, Gecarcinus ruricola
Gecarcinus ruricola
Gecarcinus ruricola is a species of terrestrial crab. It is the most terrestrial of the Caribbean land crabs, and is found from western Cuba across the Antilles as far east as Barbados. Common names for G...
, occurs together with G. lateralis in the tropical western Atlantic, but its carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
is typically almost entirely blackish, dark maroon
Maroon (color)
Maroon is a dark red color.-Etymology:Maroon is derived from French marron .The first recorded use of maroon as a color name in English was in 1789.-Maroon :...
, purplish or yellowish.
Description
As suggested by the name blackback land crab, it has a large blackish spot, which, although the exact shape is variable, covers a large part of the central carapaceCarapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
("back"). The legs, claws and outer sections of the carapace are reddish, orange or whitish. The carapace may reach a width of up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in).
Ecology
G. lateralis occurs along the dry zone of sandy beachBeach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es and nearby hills, around 6–9 m (19.7–29.5 ) above the highest high tide mark, where there is no standing water, but significant interstitial moisture. They need to return to the ocean to breed (the larvae
Crustacean larvae
Crustaceans may pass through a number of larval and immature stages between hatching from their eggs and reaching their adult form. Each of the stages is separated by a moult, in which the hard exoskeleton is shed to allow the animal to grow...
are released into the sea). Furthermore, its gills need to be moist all the time, or it will die. Compared to most other crustaceans, its blood also has a higher oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
carrying capacity. It is largely herbivorous, but will take animal matter if available.