Notomithrax ursus
Encyclopedia
Notomithrax ursus is a spider crab
of the family
Majidae
, found in south east Australia
and New Zealand
. Males grow to a carapace
width of 42 millimetres (1.7 in), and a carapace length of 60 mm (2.4 in), while females reach 36 mm (1.4 in) by 43 mm (1.7 in). They are typically found among seaweed
in rockpools, and are themselves usually covered in seaweed.
Spider crab
The term spider crab can refer to various species of crab in the family Majidae. See crab spider for spiders of the Thomisidae family.*Japanese spider crab , the largest living species of crab, found on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean*Libinia emarginata, the portly spider crab, a species of crab...
of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Majidae
Majidae
Majidae is a family of crabs, comprising around 700 marine species with a carapace that is longer than it is broad, and which forms a point at the front. The legs can be very long in some species, leading to the name "spider crab"...
, found in south east Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Males grow to a carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
width of 42 millimetres (1.7 in), and a carapace length of 60 mm (2.4 in), while females reach 36 mm (1.4 in) by 43 mm (1.7 in). They are typically found among seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
in rockpools, and are themselves usually covered in seaweed.