Morphology data of Menippe mercenaria
Identification keys
Main Ref. Tavares, M., 2003
Appearance refers to

Sex attributes

specialized organs
different appearance
different colors
remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Diagnosis Carapace transversely oval, about 2.3 times as long as wide, convex, nearly smooth to unaided eye, minutely granulate and punctate; anterolateral margins (excluding outer orbital teeth) divided into 4 lobes, front (excluding inner orbital angles) with a median notch and a broad tri-lobate lobe on each side. Pincers large and heavy, unequal, nearly smooth; inside of hands with patch of fine, oblique, parallel striae; walking legs stout and hairy distally. Color: juveniles dark purplish blue, very young with legs banded cream and red and white spot on carpus of pincer. Older individual become dark brownish red to black or less mottled and spotted with dusky grey; fingers dark; walking legs with reddish and yellow bands.
Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Menippe mercenaria

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
spines     
soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
spines     
soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary (e.g. cnidaria)
Comments & Corrections
Back to Search