Cryptopodia angulata (H. Milne Edwards and Lucas 1841)

Vasudevamurthy, Kiran, 2022, Range extension of buckler crab, Cryptopodia angulata (Decapoda: Brachyura: Parthenopidae) from Karwar coast (Arabian Sea), Karnataka, India, International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 10 (2), pp. 113-115 : 113-114

Cryptopodia angulata (H. Milne Edwards and Lucas 1841)

Description: Cryptopodia angulata grows to a carapace width of about 4 to 5 cms and the carapace length is one and half times larger than the width. The shape of the carapace is convex and pentagonal, with two spines on the posterior margin at the center of the carapace.

The edges are dentate and curved at all angles, donate margins which completely covers the abdomen and ambulatory legs beneath it. The teeth of the margins are simple and bifurcated. The dorsal surface of the carapace is granular and has smooth ventral surface. The color of the carapace is pale pink to pinkish brown. A triangular depression is seen in the middle of the carapace with granular ridges, eyes are small and round. The rostrum is pointed and triangular. The abdomen is comparatively narrow and tapered towards the anterior region. Chelipeds are granular and robust with dentate margins on the anterior and posterior region, merus is flat, and carpus is somewhat globular. The first pair of walking legs is the longest, legs are slim and smooth, dentate margins only at the upper surface of the merus.

The two female specimens of buckler crabs ( Cryptopodia angulata ) were collected from the west coast of Karwar, Karnataka on 22 nd February 2021. One female was damaged and mutilated, whereas the second one was intact. The crabs were examined morphologically and identified as Cryptopodia angulata (Milne-Edwards H. and Lucas 1841) [ 9]. Besides this, another species, Cryptopodia fornicate is reported to have its presence on the Mandapam coast, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu (Kakati, Personal communication).