Biology:Leptuca uruguayensis

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Short description: Species of crab

Leptuca uruguayensis
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Ocypodidae
Subfamily: Gelasiminae
Tribe: Minucini
Genus: Leptuca
Species:
L. uruguayensis
Binomial name
Leptuca uruguayensis
(Nobili, 1901)
Synonyms

Uca uruguayensis Nobil, 1901

Leptuca uruguayensis, commonly known as the Uruguayan fiddler crab or the southwestern Atlantic fiddler crab, is a species of fiddler crab native to temperate and subtropical areas of the southeastern coast of South America.[1]

Taxonomy

Previously a member of the genus Uca, the species was transferred in 2016 to the genus Leptuca when Leptuca was promoted from subgenus to genus level.[2][3]

Description

The adult crab's carapace is usually between 10 and 16.5 millimetres (0.39 and 0.65 in) wide.[4] Non-breeding males have a green carapace and red major cheliped; when breeding, the carapace of the male whitens.[4] The major cheliped can remain red or also whiten.

Distribution

The crab is native to South America where its range includes Brazil , Uruguay, and Argentina .[1]

Habitat

The species lives on silty sand or sandy silt soils with some organic matter.[1] It prefers brackish and saline environments of moderate to high salinity.[1]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q107086624 entry