Hyas araneus

Great spider crab
Hyas araneus
Hyas araneus, Newfoundland, Canada, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith

Same Genus

Distribution


Description

Reddish-brown in colour with a pear-shaped carapace up to 10cm long and 8cm wide. Anterior rostrum is split into two tapering ends that meet at the tip. first pair of pleopods bear pincers and are shorter and stouter than pairs 2-5 which are long and slender. 


Information

Max Size: 11 cm

Sea Temperature Range: -1.1-15.9°C

Depth: N/A

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (38.5% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Several (9 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.