Xantho pilipes

Andrew Cleave Another colourful specimen from Pelistry Bay, St Mary's, Scilly. Xantho pilipes - Risso's Crab

Richard Ticehurst Complete with hairy back legs!

Douglas Herdson Hi, I should be grateful for an identification of this xanthid (?) crab from Lundy Island.

Andy Horton It is one of the Xantho ones. Some books should a different generic name nowadays. I used the know which is which out of the two species.

George Brown Hi Douglas, Marlin advises: "Xantho pilipes, is most readily distinguished from Xantho incisus by dense fringes of setae on the lateral and posterior margins of the carapace and on the walking legs." I can't see these fringes on your photos. Hope that helps.

Andy Horton Notes I made in 1992: The usual shore populations of common invertebrates were present, but also the southern species of crab Xantho incisus which was very common under boulders. There are two species of Xantho crab from British seas. The specimens found at Marazion had white claws and a chocolate brown carapace, but colour is not the distinguishing guide - the same species could also have black claws. The back legs lacked the bristles or setae that are found on Xantho pilipes. The diet of this crab is not well known, but it will eat smaller crabs of other species including the Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus.

Andy Horton I have only found Xantho incisus.

David Fenwick Snr Xantho pilipes Doug.

George Brown Hi David, can you see "fringes of setae" in Douglas's photo which would make it X. pilipes? Am I looking in the right place?

David Fenwick Snr Hi George,click on the image of the carapace, the one on the right, the fringe is there.

George Brown This shows the fringe I was looking for. Guess it's not so obvious out the water.

Douglas Herdson Thanks folks, I had made it Xantho pilipes, but I do not think it had been recorded on Lundy; and am not familiar with the two species.

Douglas Herdson George, you can see the fringe better in this photo, it was not as obviously hairy as I had expected.

Andrew Cleave Both species quite common on Scilly - have found them on St Mary's, including females carrying eggs. Pincer colour can vary, however.

Douglas Herdson Thanks Andrew, I did not have time to look at the crabs when I was on Scilly. I have always questioned that brown tip or black tip feature. Did you find any Xanthos in your 2010 survey on Lundy?

Beccy MacDonald Hi Douglas Herdson, we regularly find Xantho incisus so this is a good find. Do you mind if I copy your photos from here and add the finding into our marine logbook? Could you also tell me when and where you found it? The images look as though it was in the Devils Kitchen. Beccy (Lundy Warden) :)

Douglas Herdson Hi Beccy, Will send you decent photos. Also found a Corkwing wrasse nest - details in the marine log - mid shore Devil's Kitchen 6th July.

Beccy MacDonald Thanks Douglas Herdson :)

Beccy MacDonald We found one today too! Along with Xantho hydrophilus :)

Andy Horton Xantho hydrophilus (also known as Xantho incisus and various other scientific names)

Andy Rapson Lophozozymus incisus, Watch your fingers!

Andy Horton Is this the right ID? It looks familiar and a bit like Dromia ?

Andy Rapson I was pretty sure about the ID, it is the same individual as in my previous post if that's a help with the ID. But I've only identified it through looking at some books so it's certainly not a definite. If it is wrong I'd like to know so that I can correct it on my website.

Andy Horton When and where was it discovered? Its is newsworthy whatever if it was discovered in the UK.

Andy Rapson Portscatho, Cornwall, Sept 2011

Andy Horton I don't think it is a Xantho Crab of any kind?

Andy Horton I now see this to be Xantho species. There are two British species. They are regulars on the beach in Cornwall. The ones I have seen are Xanto pilipes with black claws.

Andrew Syvret Good job they're not as swift as a velvet swimmer...

Douglas Herdson Dromia - Sponge or Sleepy crabs, are covered in velvet with bright pink tips to the chelae. I call them "Teddy bears with nail varnish". Isn't Xantho pilipes the hairy one?

Andy Horton Xantho incisus are the ones I have seen not X pilipes

David Fenwick Snr I'd certainly go with Lophozozymus incisus ! Once you get your eye in with these things it's not too bad but I'd advise that it's not easy to go by claw or carapace colour alone. X. pilipes is quite variable in colour and of course has hairy legs and is more variable in colour than L. incisus; but beware L. incisus can have a few hairs on the rear legs, but sparce compared with X. pilipes. I usually find L. incisus in about 2-3 shades, the common colours include dark reddy brown and a pallid slate grey.

Andy Horton There appears to be a change of scientific name: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=148461

Andy Rapson I always use the site I posted earlier to find up to date valid names.

Andy Rapson http://www.sealifebase.org/Nomenclature/SynonymsList.php?ID=21420&SynCode=12805&GenusName=Lophozozymus&SpeciesName=incisus

Andy Horton I would not be surprised if this caught others out as I have used the old name for 30 years.

Andy Rapson It is a nightmare trying to keep up, one fish I know of started out as Tilapia > Haplachromis > Psuedotropheus > Metriaclima and is currently Maylandia. All in just a few years.

Cynthia D. Trowbridge the joys of science...our understanding always changes and, hopefully, improves....but it is frustrating to re-learn things

Andy Horton Xantho was such an easy name to spell.

Vicki Howe And say! Interesting thread - its not always straight forward keeping up with name changes

Thorleif Sørvik andy ,here is the Xantho pilipes crabb i found in 2009 in Lindesnes in south norway

Erling Svensen The X. pilipes is found aprox to Trondheim in Norway. So quite fare North.

Thorleif Sørvik hei erling, fant den i fjæredam