poniedziałek, 30 maja 2011

Crustaceans - Rainbow crab


Cardisoma armatum - It is sometimes referred to as the (African) rainbow crab, (Nigerian) moon crab or patriot crab. Adults are sometimes labelled as soapdish crabs in the pet industry. This name derives from their aggressive nature as adults and when being shipped to pet stores, they are often packed in soap dishes to prevent them from killing each other. The names moon crab and soapdish crab are sometimes applied to other similar crab species, leading to frequent confusion with other colourful crabs such as the three remaining species of Cardisoma, Gecarcinus ruricola and G. quadratus (all except C. carnifex from the Americas).
Cardisoma armatum originates from coastal regions of western Africa, but it also occurs inland along some deltas (e.g. the Volta river delta), and on islands such as Cape Verde.
When young, these crabs typically have a blueish/violet carapace, red–coloured legs, and whitish claws. This coloration usually fades as the animal grows older. They can reach a carapace size of 20 cm across, although captive individuals rarely reach this size.
Their diet consists mainly of fruit, vegetation and carrion. They are known to be cannibalistic, and will consume smaller crabs, small reptiles and amphibians, molluscs, fish, and insects if they can catch them. While juvenile and adult crabs spend most of their time on dry land, the females must return to the ocean to release their eggs. The eggs hatch into microscopic larvae, and later on develop into young crabs. If the young do not make landfall by the time they are fully developed they will drown.

18 komentarzy:

  1. That's a weird looking dog.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  2. I don't like crabs... i was a kid when i first took Stephen King's Black Tower and this crabs that took Roland's finger was most i don't know... it wasn't fear but... dislike. Not crimson king (whom i admire by the fact :P) but crabs.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  3. I wonder how they taste. Living in New Orleans I eat crabs like crazy. I used to go crabbing too. Nothing like catching, boiling, and eating crabs by yourself.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  4. That Rainbow crab looks awesome.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  5. The real questions is: do they taste good with melted butter.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  6. It looks really tasty, no JK.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  7. Aww I love crabs, there's something so cool and cute about them!

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  8. Nice read, learned something new about crabs

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  9. Haha, I bet that other crabs make fun of them.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  10. I know almost nothing about crabs.

    OdpowiedzUsuń
  11. Rainbow crabs sounds a lot cooler then just crabs, and they look alot more colorful.

    OdpowiedzUsuń