Polybius depurator

Polybius depurator, sometimes called the harbour crab^[2] or sandy swimming crab,^[3] is a species of crab found in the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.^[4][5] It grows up to 50 millimetres (2.0 in) in width and 40 mm (1.6 in) long,^[6] and can be distinguished from other crabs, such as the shore crab Carcinus maenas, by the curved rows of white spots on its carapace.^[2]

Polybius depurator
Adult L. depurator
L. depurator for sale at a market
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Suborder:	Pleocyemata
Infraorder:	Brachyura
Superfamily:	Portunoidea
Family:	Polybiidae
Genus:	Polybius
Species:	P. depurator
Binomial name
Polybius depurator (Linnaeus, 1758) [1]
Synonyms
Portunus plicatus Risso, 1816

The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, in his 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It has a synonym, Portunus plicatus, which was given by Antoine Risso in 1816.^[1]

The females in this species reach maturity within their first year of life. They reach their peak of reproduction during the winter time in the Mediterranean.^[7]