Stalk-eyed mud crab facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stalk-eyed mud crab |
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| Stalk-eyed mud crab at Manukau Harbour in Auckland | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Macrophthalmidae
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| Genus: |
Macrophthalmus
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| Subgenus: |
Hemiplax
Heller, 1865
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| Species: |
M. hirtipes
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| Binomial name | |
| Macrophthalmus hirtipes (Jacquinot in Hombron & Jacquinot, 1846)
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The stalk-eyed mud crab, also known by its scientific name Macrophthalmus hirtipes, is a special kind of crab that lives in the ocean. It belongs to a group of crabs called Macrophthalmidae. This crab is known for its large eyes that stick out, like they are on stalks!
About the Stalk-Eyed Mud Crab
This crab is quite small. Its shell can grow to be about 30 millimetres (1.2 in) wide. That's about the size of a large button! It's a unique creature because it is found only in one part of the world.
Where Stalk-Eyed Mud Crabs Live
The stalk-eyed mud crab is endemic to New Zealand. This means it naturally lives only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. You can find it in various places around New Zealand, including a smaller place called Campbell Island.
Scientific Family of the Stalk-Eyed Mud Crab
Scientists group living things into families. The stalk-eyed mud crab is part of the Macrophthalmus genus. It might be the only species in its special group called Hemiplax. It is also considered one of the most basic species in the Macrophthalmus genus.
