Spectacled Box Crab

Calappa philargius

The Spectacled Box Crab, a member of the family Calappidae, is recognized by its robust, brownish-red body adorned with distinct dark red spots on its chelae. A notable feature is the dark red ring encircling its eyes, which gives it a 'spectacled' appearance. The carapace is granulated along the anterolateral margin, while the posterolateral and posterior margins are lined with approximately 15 sharp teeth. These crabs possess two thick and strong chelipeds of similar size, with movable fingers that vary in form and function. This species inhabits the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indo-Pacific, thriving in benthic environments. It is typically found at depths ranging from 0 to 100 meters, with the majority of occurrences recorded at depths shallower than 40 meters. The Spectacled Box Crab prefers sandy to slightly muddy substrates, where it exhibits a unique behavior of burying itself during the day, leaving only its eyes exposed above the substratum. As a nocturnal forager, the Spectacled Box Crab primarily feeds on mollusks. Its reproductive behavior includes a precopulatory courtship ritual, relying on olfactory and tactile cues, with indirect sperm transfer being common among members of the order Decapoda. Currently, there is no evaluation of its conservation status by the IUCN.