Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863
Shelling crab
Callinectes ornatus
photo by Herrera, Daphine Ramiro

Family:  Portunidae (swimming crabs)
Max. size:  13 cm CW (male/unsexed); 11 cm CW (female); max. reported age: 2 years
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 75 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: USA to Brazil. Tropical to subtropical.
Diagnosis:  Carapace slightly more than twice as broad as long; 9 teeth on arched anterolateral margin (outer orbital tooth and strong lateral spine included) progressively more acuminate laterally; outer pair of frontal teeth (excluding inner orbital angles) prominent but inner pair small, often almost completely rudimentary. Much of convex dorsal surface lightly granulate, most prominently so on anterior and elevated areas and in transverse lines; central trapezoidal (metagastric) area short and wide (anterior width about 2.8 times, posterior width about 1.75 times length). Pincers dissimilar, ridged longitudinally; fifth legs flattened in form of paddles. Male with T-shaped abdomen reaching slightly beyond suture between thoracic sternites 4 and 5, usually with distal parts recessed below plane of sternum in retracted position. First pleopods overlapping proximally, nearly straight distally, terminating in usually lanceolate membranous tip near level of suture between thoracic sternites 6 and 7, armed subterminally with short retrogressive spinules. Color: variable. Light greyish green, olive, pinkish, or brown, spines maroon to blue or white, white-tipped; pincers with outer face white, inner surface dark blue; varying transverse light-dark bands on paddles, other legs tinted blue; underparts whitish to grey.
Biology:  Minimum carapace width: 0.94 cm (Ref. 93549). Minimum depth from Ref. 101595.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans: 
Country info:  Known from The West Indies (Ref. 93549). M: Ref. 367; R: Ref. 93549.

Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.