First report of the swimming crab Ovalipes iridescens (Miers, 1886) (Brachyura, Portunidae) from Taiwan

Abstract

The portunid crab Ovalipes iridescens (Miers, 1886) is reported for the first time from the marine waters of Taiwan, and is just the second Ovalipes species known from this region. The only previously known Ovalipes species from Taiwan is a commercially-used species, Ovalipes punctatus (De Haan, 1833). The present study provides morphological and distributional data, and discusses the variability of the external morphology. The colour pattern of the body and the shape of the male gonopods of the newly recorded O. iridescens are illustrated.