Systematic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Family: Portunidae
Genus: Charybdis
Species: Charybdis natator
(Herbst, 1789)
Chinese name: 石蟹

Carapace convex, covered with a coat of tomentum, distributed with granules near anterolateral surface. Conspicuous ridges on gastric, branchial and cardiac regions . Front cut into 6 teeth, the middle four subequal in size, obtuse at the tips. Anterolateral margin divided into 6 teeth: the first truncate at tip; second to fourth subequal in size, and with acute tip; the last one spiniform, but less prominent than the preceding one. Posterior and posterolateral margin with granular ridge. Chelipeds stout, asymmetrical. Merus with 4 spines on the anterior margin. Manus covered with depressed granules, the dorsal surface with 5 spines. Fingers stout, covered with grooves and carinae on the surface.

Sandy or muddy-sandy bottoms.

Up to 190mm (Carapace width)

China - Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Taiwan; Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Madagascar, and East Africa.