Portunidae is a family of which contains the swimming crabs. Its members include well-known shoreline crabs such as the blue crab ( Callinectes sapidus) and velvet crab ( velvet crab).
Description
Portunid crabs are characterised by the flattening of the fifth pair of legs into broad paddles, which are used for swimming.
This ability, together with their strong, sharp claws, allows many species to be fast and aggressive
.
Taxonomy
Swimming crabs reach their greatest species diversity in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Portunidae consists of the following subfamilies and
Genus:
- Achelouinae
- Caphyrinae
- Carupinae
- Coelocarcininae
- Lupocyclinae
- Necronectinae
- Podophthalminae
- Portuninae
- Thalamitinae
- incertae sedis
Notes
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