Maja capensis, the Agulhas spider crab, is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of 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...

 in 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...

 Majidae

Majidae

Majidae is a family of crabs, comprising around 700 marine species with a carapace that is longer than it is broad, and which forms a point at the front. The legs can be very long in some species, leading to the name "spider crab"...

.

Distribution

The Agulhas spider crab is known from the west coast of Africa and round the South African coast to Durban in 2–100 m of water.

Description

The Agulhas spider crab may grow to 100 millimetres (3.9 in). It has an orange to red 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...

covered with short spines and protruding granules, and is often camouflaged with attached animals. It has two double-pointed projections extending between its eyes. The front margins of its carapace are serrated.