International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.36, 361-365
364
Total 26 specimens (6 males and 20 females) collected during 24/12/2016 from the intertidal zones of the Khor
Al-Zubair canal, south Al-Basrah city.
Six males (10.2 ×15.6), (14.4 ×18.9), (15.5 ×18.7), (16.8 ×22.3), (17.1 ×22.5), (19.5 ×23.5) mm; and twenty
females (15.5 ×21.4), (15.8 ×22.1), (16.4 ×22.1), (16.5 ×22.8), (16.6 ×22.9), (16.9 ×23.1), (17.1 ×21.7), (17.3
×22.8), (17.9 ×23.1), (18.4 ×23.5), (18.5 ×24.5), (18.8 ×24.7), (19.4 ×23.8), (19.5 ×24.5), (19.7 ×25.2), (20.2
×25.8), (20.6 ×25.5), (21.1 ×26.1), (21.8 ×26.9), (22.5 ×27.4) mm.
2.2.2 Description
Carapace: moderately wider than long, largest male specimen 19.5 mm ×23.5 mm; smooth and shiny surface with
antero-lateral borders less than two-thirds the length of the postero-lateral borders (Figure 3A). Antero.-lateral
borders with 2 sharp teeth and an indentation separating the anterior margin. The Carapace is pinkish purple,
whitish at the edge, finger and thumb of chela slight darker.
Figure 3
Eurycarcinus orientalis
male general view
Note: A: overall dorsal view; B: ventral view
Abdomen: well segmented, the sixth one more height than other segments (Figure 3B).
Chelipeds: unequal with the thumb of the larger chela bearing a tooth at its base (Figure 3A). Manus is smooth,
pinkish purple at the upper side of the chela.
Male gonopod: The first gonopod is bent sharply back at the tip in the form of a hook bearing 3 unequal large
spinules, the larger one is tend to be light green in color, and 5~6 smaller ones.
2.2.3 Remarks
The sex ratio of males to females was 1:3.3 during December, 2016, with dominant of ovigerous females. Most
specimens of
E. orientalis
are covered with some adhesive barnacles and some molluscs. Some specimens are
covered at ventral side with crude oil.
E. orientalis
is only species of the genus Eurycarcinus recoded from the NW of the Arabian Gulf. Unfortunately,
the specimens of
E. integrifrons
have never been collected from our region, but however both species are found in
the Arabian Gulf.
2.2.4 Distribution
Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Gulf, Pakistan, Bombay.
2.3 Habitat
P. convexus
and
E. orientalis
were collected from Khor Al-Zubair, found under artificial stones some under
