Same species?

Hi all,

I've got several ID's that I can't find definitive answers for. Here's a crab to start with.

Is this a colour variation of the same species (Lissocarcinus laevis??) or two different species?

Taken during the day at 10m depth within 20 meters of each other, at the base of Actinodendron anemone. Wickham Island, Morovo Lagoon, Solomons.

Hi Julie -- I've been checking my books & image library but can't find anything that really matches your first image. The distribution of white areas and the eyes are different enough that I hesitate to call it L. laevis but I don't know what it is. It's a pity there isn't a crab site similar to the Sea Slug Forum!

The Crab Forum. Sounds like a good project for you Leslie. And while your at it why not make a The Worm Forum as well.

Could it be Lissocarncinus obicularis? The pattern and eyes look right. Apparently the colour is highly variable, from browns through reds, and the pattern can be "inverted", colourwise.

Just a thought,

Marli

The thing tht bothers me the most is the lack of a line across the eyes on the first one. All the Lissocarcinus laevis & orbicularis images I've checked the last two days have the eye lines. Color would be okay for orbicularis. OH well, probably just another variant I haven't seen yet.....

Here's one with the same eyes....now, of course, this photographer could be incorrect in their ID. Looks like the same critter:

http://www.solvinzankl.de/html/english/gal...nthus%20sp).htm

Marli

On second look, it has lines and the larger eyespot (pupil??)...perhaps bella's is wearing white contact lenses

Yup, I did the same search. Julie could just call hers Lissocarcinus cf. laevis just to be on the safe side.