Image©Guy Colburne
Other speices
- Birgus latro
- Coenobita brevimanus
- Coenobita carnescens
- Coenobita cavipes
- Coenobita celebensis
- Coenobita clypeatus
- Coenobita compressus
- Coenobita granularis
- Coenobita lila
- Coenobita longitarsis
- Coenobita moluccensis
- Coenobita olivieri
- Coenobita patsyae
- Coenobita perlatus
- Coenobita pseudorugosus
- Coenobita purpureus
- Coenobita rubescens
- Coenobita rugosus
- Coenobita scaevola
- Coenobita spinosus
- Coenobita variabilis
- Coenobita violascens
- New species related to Coenobita violascens
- New species related to Coenobita rugosus
Common name
NA.
Size
Body mass of largest specimens are 48g.
Distribution
Only species inhabits in West Africa, e.g. Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé etc.
Habitat
They are found on the beach at the mouth of a river in land shells, which naturally do not occur on the island at less than 800 meters altitude.
Larval stages
Unknown.
Characteristics
Adult
Body colour is brown, dark red.
Eyestalks
Eyestalks are compressed in shape, colour is yellow orange.
Antenna
The bottom part of antenna are brown.
Cheliped
Left cheliped is bigger than right cheliped. Upper margins of both cheliped with brush of setae.
**Upadted on 2025.11.24**
“No series of ridge (////) on upper outer surface of palm of left cheliped.”
According to < Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft zur Beförderung der Gesamten Naturwissenschaften zu Marburg >, the information only mention “large hand, without a developed longitudinal ridge on the inside” it do not mean outside or outer surface, so in fact this species should have series of 3-4 ridges (////) (no so obvious) on upper outer surface of palm of left cheliped.
Walking legs
Yellow orange marks on surface of walking legs in some individuals.
Abdomen
Unknown. Has been noted using sea urchin tests to cover abdomen.
Male coxae of 5th legs
Unknown.
Juvenile
Unknown. May be similar to adult.
⇒ Photo from iNaturalist
Remark
Coenobita rubescens was designated first by Greeff as Coenobita rugosus and later as a distinct species.
Gallery
Reference links
- coenobita.e-monsite.com
- coenobitaspecies.com
- joelsartore.com
Reference articles
- Burggren W. W., McMahon B. R., 2009. Biology of the Land Crabs, Cambridge University Press
- Greeff, R., 1884. Ueber die Fauna der Guinea Inseln S. Thomé und Rolas. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft zur Beförderung der Gesamten Naturwissenschaften zu Marburg
- Rathbun M. J., 1900. The decapod crustaceans of West Africa