black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Upogebia pusilla Petanga, 1792
Synonyms: Thalassina littoralis Risso, 1816; Gebia littoralis Czerniavsky, 1884;
Zernov, 1913; Upogebia littorallis Makarov, 1938; Dolgopolskaia,1948; Upogebia
pusilla Holthuis,1961
Common names: Engl: Flat-browed mud shrimp; Bulg: Upogebiya; Rom: Gebia;
Russ: Morskoy krot; Turk: Mamun; Ukr: Mors'ky krit
Order DECAPODA
Family CALLIANASSIDAE
Taxonomic description. The body of this decapod has a soft cover. It inhabits self-
dug holes in the bottom. The body is flat, consisting of a cephalothorax and abdomen,
with a longitudinal line on the back side, the linea thallassinica. A broad triangular
rostrum covered with filaments that screen the eyes furnishes the front end of the
cephalothorax. The first pair of extremities has the form of tongs, equal in size and
fshape. The rest of the extremities have a simple structure and are covered with
filaments. The colour is brown or gray-green on the back part of the body and pale or
light-yellow on its ventral part. The colour variation is due to a pigment layer in the
outer part of the carapace, rich in chromatic cells with different pigments. The animal
changes colour according to its environment. Length up to 45 mm.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level:
Subregion level: EN
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