Maguimithrax

Description

Maguimithrax spinosissimus has a reddish-brown carapace and walking legs. The claws are smooth, purplish gray, with a single row of nodules along the outer edge, and blunt claw tips. The legs are covered with numerous short spines and nodules. It is the largest native crab species of the Atlantic. It can reach up to 3 kg of weight and a carapace length of 18 cm.[[File:Dorsal and ventral views of modern male specimens of Maguimithrax spinosissimus that differ in size.png|thumb|Dorsal and ventral views of two different sized males]]

Distribution

Maguimithrax spinosissimus is found from North Carolina to Venezuela. It inhabits caves and reef underhangs from the shallow intertidal to depths of up to 200 m.

It was made the type species of a separate genus Maguimithrax by Klompmaker et al. (2015).

Diet

The diet of this crab is largely unknown; however, it is considered a large omnivore that has been noted to feed on algae and carrion. It has been studied for its ability to remove seaweed from coral reefs due to its "powerful grazing ability". Unlike crabs such as the blue crab, the West Indian spider crab is not commercially harvested for its meat.

Human intervention

Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida is spawning the crabs in hopes they will eat algae and benefit coral reefs.

References

References

1. Peter K. L. Ng. (2008). "Systema Brachyurorum: Part I. An annotated checklist of extant Brachyuran crabs of the world". [[Raffles Bulletin of Zoology]].
2. (2023). "World Register of Marine Species".
3. (1991). "Environmental influences on the growth and survival of West Indian spider crabs ''Mithrax spinosissimus'' in culture". [[Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology]].
4. (2002). "Reef Creature Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas". New World Publications.
5. (May 2021). "Larval development of the Caribbean king crab ''Maguimithrax spinosissimus'' (Lamarck, 1818), the largest brachyuran in the western Atlantic (Crustacea: Decapoda: Majoidea)". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.
6. (2015). "Spider crabs of the Western Atlantic with special reference to fossil and some modern Mithracidae". [[PeerJ]].
7. (1989). "The effects of holding space and diet on the growth of the West Indian spider crab ''Mithrax spinosissimus''". [[Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology]].
8. Spadaro, Angelo Jason. (2021-02-22). "Herbivorous Crabs Reverse the Seaweed Dilemma on Coral Reefs". Current Biology.
9. Kuizon, Kimberly. (12 September 2023). "Mote Marine Laboratory Aquaculture Research Park breeding Caribbean King Crabs to help with coral restoration". [[WTVT]].
10. Jones, Benji. (27 September 2023). "Scientists will unleash an army of crabs to help save Florida's dying reef". [[Vox (website).