Ethusa mascarone
Ethusa mascarone. Museum specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Ethusidae
Genus: Ethusa
Species:
E. mascarone
Binomial name
Ethusa mascarone
(Herbst, 1785)
Synonyms
  • Aethusa makarone Guérin, 1832
  • Cancer mascarone Herbst, 1785
  • Dorippe mascaronius Risso, 1816

Ethusa mascarone is a species of crabs in the family Ethusidae.[1][2]

Description

The cephalothorax of Ethusa mascarone is almost rectangular, it can reach a length of 15 millimetres (0.59 in) and a width of 13 millimetres (0.51 in). The body color is gray-brown, with brown lines on the carapace and transverse striae on the abdomen. Chelipeds and legs are lighter and white speckled.[3]

The front pairs of legs are long, but the hind legs are shorter and are used to carry on the back a variety of objects and organisms, especially valves of bivalves, by which these crabs camouflage and protect themselves.[4] It has been described as a decorator crab despite not belonging to the superfamily Majoidea.[5]

They mainly feed on small organisms and decaying flesh of dead animals.[4]

Distribution

This species is present in the Mediterranean Sea.[6][7]

Habitat

These crabs live on sandy substrate and muddy bottom, from a few meters up to 75 m deep.[4]

Behavior

Under hypoxic conditions, Ethusa mascarone has been observed to discard its objects of camouflage "to either increase mobility and/or reduce oxygen demand".[5]

References

  1. ↑ Encyclopedia of life
  2. ↑ ITIS
  3. ↑ Tegnue.chioggia
  4. 1 2 3 Podvodni
  5. 1 2 Riedel, Bettina; Diaz, Robert; Rosenberg, Rutger; Stachowitsch, Michael (March 2016). "Chapter 10: The ecological consequences of marine hypoxia: from behavioural to ecosystem responses". In Solan, Martin; Whiteley, Nia (eds.). Stressors in the Marine Environment: Physiological and ecological responses; societal implications. Oxford University Press. p. 182. ISBN 9780198718826. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ WoRMS
  7. ↑ Sealife Base
  • Türkay, M. (2001). Decapoda, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 284–292
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