Austruca annulipes

Austruca annulipes is a species of fiddler crab found along the coastline from South Africa to Somalia, Madagascar, India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Austruca annulipes
male
female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Suborder:	Pleocyemata
Infraorder:	Brachyura
Family:	Ocypodidae
Subfamily:	Gelasiminae
Tribe:	Gelasimni
Genus:	Austruca
Species:	A. annulipes
Binomial name
Austruca annulipes (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837)
Synonyms[1]
Gelasimus annulipes H. Milne-Edwards, 1837 Uca annulipes (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837)

Austruca annulipes was formerly in the genus Uca, but in 2016 it became a member of the genus Leptuca, a former subgenus of Uca.^[2][3][1]

They are relatively small crabs, and can be seen feeding in the evening at low tide. The males and females differ in size and appearance: the larger males are endowed with a brightly colored front claw. Compared to the females (and even the smaller male Uca annulipes crabs), the male Austruca annulipes crabs spend the most time excavating their burrows.^[4] House crows are known to prey upon these crabs, which are quick to hide in their burrows at the slightest hint of danger.