Crustacea | Sesarmidae
Chiromantes haematocheir

Characteristics

The land crab has a ridged, square carapace that is approximately 3 cm wide and has a curved smiley mark in the center. The chelae of males are mostly red, while those of females and juveniles are not easily seen. The land crab digs burrows in the grass or farmlands near estuarine wetlands. In the summer, the female crabs collectively head towards the ocean carrying their eggs and crossing roads to release their young into the ocean.

Distribution

The red-clawed crab’s burrows can be seen on the croplands and wastelands beside the asphalt roads at Gaomei Wetlands.

Source(s):

• (圖書) 李榮祥，台灣賞蟹情報，台北，2008。
• (圖書) 林惠真，高美濕地生物資源，台中，1998。
• (圖書) 林惠真、宋文汀、蘇珊慧，台中縣海岸溼地生態教室，台中，2003。
• (圖書) 林惠真、曾于芳，話說高美，台中，2014年。
• (圖書) 林惠真，走入海岸線，台北，2015。