Phalangipus longipes

Phalangipus longipes is a species of crabs in the family Epialtidae.^[1][2]

Phalangipus longipes
Phalangipus longipes
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Suborder:	Pleocyemata
Infraorder:	Brachyura
Family:	Epialtidae
Genus:	Phalangipus
Species:	P. longipes
Binomial name
Phalangipus longipes (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Cancer arachnoides Linnaeus, 1758 Cancer lar Fabricius, 1793 Cancer longipes Linnaeus, 1758

Description

The carapace of Phalangipus longipes is nearly as broad as long and can reach a length of one inch. The chelopoda are large and robust. Ambulatory legs are cylindrical, smooth, very long and slender. The first pair of leg is the longest, about six times of the length of the carapace. Body is light reddish above, mottled with white. Below it is white, with whitish feet, annulated with red.^[3][4]

The barnacles of the species Sacculina granulosa are parasitic castrators of these crabs.^[5]

Distribution

This species is present in Northeastern and northern Australia, Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, Andaman Sea, west Malay Peninsula, Strait of Malacca, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Gulf of Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.^[6][7]