New Zealand half crab
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| New Zealand half crab | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Petrolisthes elongatus H. Milne-Edwards, 1840 |
The New Zealand half crab, Petrolisthes elongatus, is a species of porcelain crab found around New Zealand, and the east coast of Tasmania where it was first noticed in the 1940s. Its carapace width is up to 18 mm.
The New Zealand half crab lives under rocks in the intertidal area, and can be very abundant. It is a scavenger. Its claws are large in comparison to its fairly small body. Coloration is green-blue.
Petrolisthes elongatus is not a true crab. It only has three pairs of walking legs as opposed to most other crabs which have four. The half crab has one pair of legs which are called cleaning legs, not used for walking but for cleaning. Petrolisthes elongatus' abdomen can be extended and flapped around whereas “true” crabs' abdomens cannot be moved or extended (like the half crabs). The New Zealand half crab is related to ghost shrimps, squat lobsters and hermit crabs.
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