Arrow Crab Confirm

[ReefHunter006]

Can anyone confirm that this is an arrow crab that is reef safe? Never seen this thorny variety. Bout 2” wide.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Neither have I! @ISpeakForTheSeas could help with an ID but it does appear to be an arrow of some sort

 

[Red_Beard]

Looks like a frilly arrow crab (Podochela spp.)

 

[ScubaSnacks]

Frilly Arrow Crab*

Resides : Rocks Consumes : Fish food, pest worms. Max Size : 4 or 100mm including legs Origin : Caribbean Availability: Weekly Warnings : May attack feather...

www.reefcleaners.org

Pertinent information here.

 

[DJC]

Can anyone confirm that this is an arrow crab that is reef safe? Never seen this thorny variety. Bout 2” wide.

That is soooooo cool

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, looks like a "Frilly Arrow Crab," which I've seen sold as Podochela species or even as Stenorhynchus seticornis (the regular "Arrow Crab" in the hobby) - Podochela is closer (and Podochela species likely are collected and sold regularly as Frilly Arrow Crabs), but as far as I can tell, this crab is actually the "False Arrow Crab," Metoporhaphis calcarata.

 

[ReefHunter006]

Yeah, looks like a "Frilly Arrow Crab," which I've seen sold as Podochela species or even as Stenorhynchus seticornis (the regular "Arrow Crab" in the hobby) - Podochela is closer (and Podochela species likely are collected and sold regularly as Frilly Arrow Crabs), but as far as I can tell, this crab is actually the "False Arrow Crab," Metoporhaphis calcarata.

Reef safe?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Reef safe?

To my knowledge, they're considered Reef-Safe With Caution; they shouldn't cause any major issues (especially with corals), but they may nip/snap at fish and/or eat small inverts on occasion.

 

[moretor1]

Yeah, looks like a "Frilly Arrow Crab," which I've seen sold as Podochela species or even as Stenorhynchus seticornis (the regular "Arrow Crab" in the hobby) - Podochela is closer (and Podochela species likely are collected and sold regularly as Frilly Arrow Crabs), but as far as I can tell, this crab is actually the "False Arrow Crab," Metoporhaphis calcarata.

Mr magic man of wisdom, pls ID my Crab

I was 99% sure it was Podochela spp but the false Arrow crab looks fairly similar as well. Can't find any good photos of them tho that show the differences

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Mr magic man of wisdom, pls ID my Crab

I was 99% sure it was Podochela spp but the false Arrow crab looks fairly similar as well. Can't find any good photos of them tho that show the differences

Yeah, Inachid crabs (taxonomic family Inachidae; including Metoporhaphis calcarata and Podochela species) are tough to tell apart without careful examination.

The most easily spotted difference between these two is the spikes jutting out of the knees of Metoporhaphis calcarata; Podochela species don't have the prominent spikes on the knees like you can see on the OP's specimen.

I don't see any spikes on your specimen, so it may be a Podochela (or other Inachid) species, but it doesn't appear to be Metoporhaphis calcarata.