black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Pachygrapsus marmoratus Fabricius, 1787
Synonyms: Cancer marmoratus Fabr. 1788; Grapsus varius Latreillei 1867; Grapsus
marmoratus Grube 1861; Pachygrapsus marmoratus Czerniavsky 1884, Casper 1951
Common names: Bulg: Mramorniat rak; Rom: Crabul de piatra; Russ: Mramorny
krab; Turk: Marmara pavuryasi; Ukr: Marmurovy krab
Order DECAPODA
Family GRAPSIDAE
Taxonomic description. A large-sized crab. Side of front makes a straight angle
with inner-orbital side. Front straight. Two epigastric lobs. Carapace with
transversal thin vein. Merus of third maxilliped with intero-superior tooth. Chelipeds
short and thick. Pereiopods II-V longer than chelipeds; the fourth the longest; articles
flattened. Dactylus short, flattened; superior and inferior side with spine and terminal
claw. Female with large abdomen, almost circular; triangular in male. Male with
pleopods I strong; pleopod II reduced. Size: length 38 mm; width 43 mm. Colour
chesnut-reddish above; chela and dactylus dark-brown; inferior part of paws ivory.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level:
Subregion level: VU
Distribution, Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. In the rocky
midlittoral zone among boulders near the coast; at night in the supralittoral zone.
Common in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean (coasts of France and
Morocco). During high floods of the Danube, this species retreats to deep bottoms.
Sensitive to pollution with toxic chemicals or inflow of fresh water, particularly near
the coast.
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