Metapograpsus messor (Forskal, 1775)

Gokul, A., 2017, Taxonomy and ecology of brachyuran crabs in Sunderbans, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 117 (2), pp. 131-139 : 137

12. Metapograpsus messor (Forskal, 1775)

1775. Cancer messor, Forskal, Hauniae., I–XXXIV, p. 88.

1893. Metapograpssus messor, Henderson, Trans. Linn. Soc. Zool, 5, p. 390; pls. 36–40.

1900. Metapograpssus messor, Alcock, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 69, p. 397.

1927. Metapograpssus messor, Gravely, Bull. Madras Govt. Mus (M.S), 1, p. 147, pls 19–26.

1957. Metapograpssus messor, Chhapgar, Tarapore. Mar. biol. stn, 1, p. 54.

1976. Metapograpssus messor, Sakai, Crabs of Japan and adjacent seas, p. 630.

Materials: Total 08 examples; KN 1512, Coll. A. Gokul,

7.12.09, Jharkhali, 04 exs; KN 1513, Coll. A. Gokul,

8.12.09, Jhilla, 01 ex; KN 1514, Coll. A. Gokul, 9.12.09, Satjelia, 01 ex; KN 1515; Coll. A. Gokul, 10.12.09, Vidya, 02 exs.

Characters: Carapace trapezoidal, 1.25-1.35 times broader than long, with strongly converging lateral margins; surface smooth and slightly convex; front very broad, about 3/5th of greatest carapace width; lateral margins entire, without tooth behind the outer orbital angle; chelipeds unequal, larger one about 1.5 times the

Distribution: East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Visakapattinam, Orissa, Parangipettai, Haora, North and South 24 parganas, Midnapore, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bombay, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Elsewhere: Suez canal, Red Sea, aden, Madagascar, Pakistan, srilanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Australia.