List of crabs of New Zealand facts for kids

In the waters around New Zealand, you can find many amazing creatures, including 77 different kinds of living crabs! There are also 10 species that are "crab-like" but belong to a group called Anomura. Imagine, we even have records of 24 types of crabs that lived long, long ago – these are called fossils.

Many of these crabs are special because they are endemic to New Zealand. This means they are found naturally nowhere else in the world! We'll mark these unique crabs in bold letters. The fossil crabs will have a little dagger symbol (†) next to their names.

Most of these crabs live in the ocean, but there's one special freshwater crab called Amarinus lacustris. Scientists are always discovering more, and a recent list shows there are now 167 known species of true crabs (Brachyura) and over 50 crab-like Anomura in New Zealand!

True Crabs: The Brachyura Group

Portunus pelagicus is a type of swimming crab.

The Brachyura are what we usually think of as "true crabs." They have a short, tucked-under tail and a wide, flat body. This group includes many different families of crabs.

Dromiidae Family

These are often called sponge crabs because some species carry sponges on their backs for camouflage.

• Petalomera wilsoni (Fulton & Grant, 1902)

Homolidae Family

Homolid crabs are sometimes called "carrier crabs" because they can carry objects like sponges or anemones on their last pair of legs.

• Dagnaudus petterdi (Grant, 1905)
• Homola orientalis Henderson, 1888
• Yaldwynopsis spinimanus (Griffin, 1965) 

Latreilliidae Family

These are often very slender, long-legged crabs.

• Eplumula australiensis (Henderson, 1888)

Raninidae Family

Raninid crabs are also known as "frog crabs" because of their unique body shape, which is often oval or pear-shaped.

• Hemioon novozelandicum Glaessner, 1980 †
• Laeviranina perarmata Glaessner, 1960 †
• Lyreidus elegans Glaessner, 1960 †
• Lyreidus tridentatus De Haan 1841
• Lyreidus waitakiensis Glaessner, 1980 †
• Ranilia pororariensis Glaessner, 1980 †

Cymonomidae Family

These are deep-sea crabs, often with unusual shapes.

• Cymonomus aequilonius Dell, 1971
• Cymonomus bathamae Dell, 1971

Torynommidae Family

This family includes some ancient fossil crabs.

• Torynomma flemingi Glaessner, 1980 †

Heterotremata Group

This is a very large and diverse group of true crabs, including many common types you might see.

Thoracotremata Group

Leptograpsus variegatus is a common rock crab.

This group includes many familiar shore crabs and mud crabs.

Crab-like Creatures: The Anomura Group

Petrolisthes elongatus, a type of half crab, found near Auckland.

The Anomura are a group of crustaceans that look a lot like true crabs, but they have some key differences. For example, their last pair of legs is often very small and tucked away. This group includes hermit crabs and porcelain crabs.

Lithodidae Family (King Crabs)

These are often large, spiny crabs found in cold, deep waters.

Paguridae Family (Hermit Crabs)

Hermit crabs are famous for living in empty snail shells to protect their soft bodies.

• Porcellanopagurus edwardsi Filhol, 1885

Porcellanidae Family (Porcelain Crabs)

These crabs are often small and flat, and they can lose their limbs easily, like porcelain breaking.

• Petrolisthes elongatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837)
• Petrolisthes novaezelandiae Flihol, 1886
• Petrocheles spinosus Miers, 1876

See also

• Fauna of New Zealand