Mud Crab
Scylla serrata
Mud crabs are large swimming crabs, related to the blue swimmer and sand crabs. Anecdotally, the large claws have been reported to crush bottles and snap broom handles.
Morphology
The carapace is often a dull green or purplish colour and the legs and claws will often have a mosaic pattern. There are nine teeth on either side of the eyes and four in between. The claws have prominent spines on the upper surface of the hand and outer surface of the wrist.
Behaviour
Scylla serrata lives in short burrows at the base of mangrove trees, in amongst the roots. They are aggressive predators feeding on oysters, snails fish and other crabs (including other mud crabs).
Method of reproduction
Eggs are fertilised internally, and are brooded under the female abdomen. The larvae are released into the water column once they hatch.
Habitat
Marine
Mangrove forest
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific.
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Subclass: | Eumalacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Superfamily: | Portunoidea |
| Family: | Portunidae |
| Genus: | Scylla |
| Species: | serrata |
| Name Published Year: | 1775 |
|---|---|
| Rank: | species |
| Scientific Name Authorship: | Forskål |
| Commercial Impact: | Popular recreational and commercial fishery in northern WA |
| Conservation Assessment: | Least Concern |
Cite this page
Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/names/scylla-serrata
Accessed 25 Apr 2025
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