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Freshwater crab

Aegla (Anomura: Aeglidae)

Photo by glennphotos
Published on Project Noah
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-30.4179, -69.2232

Field Notes

Description:

Dead. Near a small dry stream in a lightly forested area.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (8)

Very cool creature. It looks like part squat lobster, part mole crab.
Sensacional es del espacio exterior!! muy bello
Thanks. Yes it does look to be from the family Aeglidae, which is a fresh water "crab". http://sysbio.oxfordjournals.org/content/53/5/767.abstract
This is stated on wikipedia for the family Aeglidae which encompass the genus Aegla: Aeglidae is a family of freshwater crustaceans currently restricted to South America. They are the only anomurans to be found in fresh water except for a single hermit crab species.
Aegla are only marine? This was found inland. Near fresh water streams.
I thought it looked like a crawfish too...However, it seems to be a species of Aegla...I don't know much about them but it seems they are more closely related to hermit crab. Here is the link I found with more info. http://www.planetinverts.com/aegla.html
Crazy looking little arthropod. Front end aside, it looks like a tick..lol
Photographed
PublishedDecember 21, 2011

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