FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Eriphiidae 1107
Menippe rumphii (Fabricius, 1798)
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None /
Myomenippe hardwickii (Gray, 1831).
FAO name: En - Maroon stone crab.
Diagnostic characters: Carapace ovate, smooth, regions
well defined; 4 broad lobiform teeth on each anterolateral
margin. Eyes red in life. A large molariform tooth at
base of movable finger of larger chela. Colour: carapace
and appendages reddish brown to pinkish brown and
maroon in adults; young crabs maroon to reddish brown,
longitudinally striped with white.
Size: Maximum carapace width 9 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Prefers shallow to intertidal
waters, on sandy-muddy substrates, usually under rocks.
Menippe rumphii is occasonally fished for food, collected by hand or with nets and fish traps. There are no
targeted fisheries for this species, although it
can be quite common in parts of the Sunda
Shelf. Like Myomenippe hardwickii, usually
only the chelae are retained for sale.
Distribution: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia
Thailand, southern China and Taiwan
Province of China.
Remarks: Can only be confused with
Myomenippe hardwickii, which is easily
distinguished by the dull brown coloration,
green eyes, and rougher carapace surface.
Myomenippe hardwickii (Gray, 1831)
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Menippe
granulosa De Man, 1888; Myomenippe granulosa
(Gray, 1831) / Menippe rumphii (Fabricius, 1798);
Myomenippe fornasinii (Bianconi, 1851).
FAO name: En - Mangrove stone crab.
Diagnostic characters: Carapace ovate, covered
with numerous very small granules; regions well defined;
4 broad lobiform teeth on each anterolateral
margin. Eyes green in life. A large molariform tooth at
base of movable finger of larger chela. Colour: carapace
dirty-brown overall; eyes green, fingers black.
(from De Man, 1887)
Size: Maximum carapace width 10 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Essentially a shallow-water to intertidal mangrove species, preferring
rocky areas, or areas densely covered by bivalves, such as Perna spp. Caught using fish traps, drift nets,
and also taken by hand. An abundant species, caught in large quantities for its massive chelae, but no
targeted fisheries are known. Similar to practice in the Americas with certain crab species, the chelae are
frequently broken off and the animal is thrown back into the water.
Distribution: Throughout Southeast Asia,
reaching the Philippines.
Remarks: Can be confused with
Myomenippe fornasinii and Menippe rumphii,
but these 2 species have much smoother
carapace and cheliped surfaces (not granulose
as seen inMyomenippe hardwickii).
Menippe rumphii additionally differs by its
reddish brown coloration and its red eyes.