Skip to main content

Wildlife Spotting

Photo by ShannaB
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-25.9036, 153.09

Field Notes

Notes:

Red crab seen on the tidal sand flats at Poverty Point in the Great Sandy National Park. This is the same specimen taken from different angles. Its body was about the size of a closed fist. I thought it would be easy to find an ID on him, but I must be looking in the wrong places because I haven't had any luck!

Species ID Suggestions

Red Clawed Crab

(peri)sesarma bidens

Reference Link
Ali Hemati Pour
2

Comments (5)
ShannaB
Thanks Gerardo. I'm pretty sure it's not that either unfortunately... the Christmas Island crabs are much smaller than this guy, and they are endemic to Christmas Island and the Cocos Keeling Islands which are about three hours off the west coast of Australia. This specimen is on the east coast! : )
ShannaB
Oops, I meant to add a link with distribution of Perisesarma bidens - here it is! http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=crabs_of_japan&id=1714
ShannaB
Thanks Leanne, I really thought it would be an easy ID! Ali, thanks for your suggestion but I don't think that's it. Mine is a saltwater crab and is red with white claws whereas the red-clawed crab is olive-coloured with red claws. It also does not seem to occur in Australia - the distribution seems limited to the Indo-Pacific region (SE Asia).
Gerardo Aizpuru
Nice spot it looks to me like a Christmas Island red crab / Gecarcoidea natalis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Island_red_crab

Spotted for Missions

Mission
The Color Red
Mission
Wilds of South-East Queensland
Photographed
PublishedFebruary 6, 2013

Community Sponsor

Butterfly
Become a Community Sponsor and Help Grow our Global Movement!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Butterflies icon
Become a Community Sponsor

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon

Nature & Conservation Organizations

Brands & Mission-Focused Companies