Callinectes exasperatus   (Gerstaecker, 1856)

Rugose swimcrab

Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Callinectes exasperatus  AquaMaps  Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Callinectes exasperatus (Rugose swimcrab)
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drawing shows typical species in Portunidae.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Malacostraca | Decapoda | Portunidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Benthopelagic; brackish; depth range 0 - 75 m (Ref. 101597).  Tropical; 34°N - 29°S, 98°W - 34°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Eastern Pacific and Western Atlantic: from South Carolina to Florida and Texas, to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama (Miraflores Locks), including the West Indies, to Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Brazil (from Para to Santa Catarina).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 12.9 cm CW male/unsexed; (Ref. 367); 12.4 cm CW (female)

Short description Morphology

Carapace less than twice as broad as long; 9 stout teeth on strongly arched anterolateral margin, all except outer orbital tooth and short lateral spine usually swept forward; front bearing 4 well-developed teeth (excluding inner orbital angles). Coarse scattered and transverse lines of granules on convex dorsal surface. Pincers robust, ridges and crests coarsely granulate; fifth legs flattened form of paddles. Male with T-shaped abdomen reaching posterior quarter of thoracic sternite 4; first pleopods reaching slightly beyond suture between thoracic sternites 6 and 7, sinuously curved, overlapping proximally, diverging distally to tips curved abruptly inward, armed distally with scattered minute spinules. Color: adult male dorsally purplish red, more accented on proto-, meso-, and metagastric areas and at base of lateral spines and anterolateral teeth; branchial region and anterolateral teeth obscure maroon; dorsal surface of all legs purplish red with intense orange red on articulations; inferior portions of merus, carpus, and fingers of chelipeds intense violet; internal and external portion of chelae as well as remaining ventral aspect of animal white with tints of soft purple.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Maximum depth from Ref. 105697. Inhabits estuaries and shallow oceanic littoral zones, especially in association with mangroves and near river mouths, down to 8 m (Ref. 367). Possibly freshwater (Ref. 95880). Feeds on mollusks, other bottom invertebrates, fishes, carrion and detritus (Ref. 367). Digs the clam D. denticulatus out of the sand with one of its claws then handles and cracks its shell (Ref. 106085).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Members of the order Decapoda are mostly gonochoric. Mating behavior: Precopulatory courtship ritual is common (through olfactory and tactile cues); usually indirect sperm transfer.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Tavares, M. 2003. (Ref. 367)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Not Evaluated 

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
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Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance
References
Mass conversion
Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

BHL | BOLD Systems | CISTI | DiscoverLife | FAO(Publication : search) | Fishipedia | GenBank (genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | Gomexsi | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | PubMed | Tree of Life | Wikipedia (Go, Search) | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 23.5 - 28, mean 26.2 (based on 392 cells).
Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high.