• Carcinus Leach, W.E. 1814. Crustaceology. pp. 383-437 in Brewster, D. Sir (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. Edinburgh : John Murray Baldwin & Cradocle Vol. 7 (2). [390] [Name No. 798 on the Official List of Generic Names in Zoology, seeInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1955. Opinion 330. Validation, under the Plenary Powers, of the generic names Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Class Crustacea, Order Isopoda), and Carcinus Leach, 1814 (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda). Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 9: 321–338, gender masculine].

  Type species:

   Cancer maenas Linnaeus, 1758 by monotypy.

  Secondary source:

   International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1955. Opinion 330. Validation, under the Plenary Powers, of the generic names Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Class Crustacea, Order Isopoda), and Carcinus Leach, 1814 (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda). Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 9: 321-338.
• Ligia Weber, F. 1795. Nomenclator entomologicus secundum entomologian systematicam ill. Fabricii, adjectis speciebus recens detectis et varietatibus. Chiloni et Hamburgi : C.E. Bohn viii 171 pp. [92] [name suppressed in International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1955. Opinion 330. Validation, under the Plenary Powers, of the generic names Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Class Crustacea, Order Isopoda), and Carcinus Leach, 1814 (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda). Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 9: 321–338, Name No. 207 on Official Index of Rejected and Invalid Generic Names in Zoology, gender feminine].

  Type species:

   Cancer granarius Herbst, 1783 by monotypy (= Cancer maenas Linnaeus, 1758).

  Secondary source:

   International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1955. Opinion 330. Validation, under the Plenary Powers, of the generic names Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Class Crustacea, Order Isopoda), and Carcinus Leach, 1814 (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda). Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 9: 321-338.
• Macropa Latreille, P.A. 1822. Crustacés, Arachnides et Insectes. In, Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois régnes de la nature. Vol. 24. 142 + 38 + 397 pls [9] [gender feminine].

  Type species:

   Megalopa montagui Leach, 1817 by monotypy (= Cancer rhomboidalis Montagu, 1804, = Cancer maenas Linnaeus, 1758).
• Sympractor Gistel, J. 1848. Naturgeschichte des Thierreichs für höhere schulen bearbeitet. Stuttgart xvi 216 pp., 32 pls. [ix] [nom. nov. for Megalopa Leach, 1814 (as Megalopus); gender masculine].

  Type species:

   Cancer granarius Herbst, 1783 by original designation.
• Carcinides Rathbun, M.J. 1897. A revision of the nomenclature of the Brachyura. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 11: 153-167 [164] [nom. nov. for Carcinus Leach, 1814, see International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1955. Opinion 330. Validation, under the Plenary Powers, of the generic names Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Class Crustacea, Order Isopoda), and Carcinus Leach, 1814 (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda). Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 9: 321–338, Name No. 209 on Official Index of Rejected and Invalid Generic Names in Zoology, gender masculine].

  Secondary source:

   International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1955. Opinion 330. Validation, under the Plenary Powers, of the generic names Ligia Fabricius, 1798 (Class Crustacea, Order Isopoda), and Carcinus Leach, 1814 (Class Crustacea, Order Decapoda). Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 9: 321-338.
• Megalopa Leach, W.E. 1814. Crustaceology. pp. 383-437 in Brewster, D. Sir (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. Edinburgh : John Murray Baldwin & Cradocle Vol. 7 (2). [431] [junior objective synonym of Ligia Leach, 1814; gender feminine].

  Type species:

   Cancer granarius Herbst, 1783 by subsequent designation, see Manning, R.B. & Holthuis, L.B. 1981. West African Brachyuran Crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology No. 306: i-xii, 1-379 figs 1-88, 2 appendices [75] (= Cancer maenas Linnaeus, 1758).

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Manning, R.B. & Holthuis, L.B. 1981. West African Brachyuran Crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology No. 306: i-xii, 1-379 figs 1-88, 2 appendices [75]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Indo-west Pacific and West Atlantic Oceans, North Sea almost to the Arctic.

IMCRA

Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Distribution References

History of changes

• Cancer maenas Linnaeus, C. 1758. Cancer. pp. 625-634 in Linnaeus, C. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundem classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii Vol. 1 10 Edn., 824 pp. [627].

  Type data:

   Lectotype whereabouts unknown, Marstrand, north of Göteborg, Sweden.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Christiansen, M.E. 1969. Marine Invertebrates of Scandinavia. 2. Crustacea Decapoda Brachyura. Oslo : Universitetsforlaget 143 pp. [49] (lectotype designation based on description, but specimen presumed lost).
• Cancer marinus sulcatus Rumphius, G.E. 1705. D'Amboinsche Rariteitkamer, behelzende eene beschryvinge van allerhande zoo weeke als harde schaalvisschen, te weeten raare Krabben, Kreeften, en diergelyke Zeedieren, als mede allerhande Hoorntjes en Schulpen, die men in d'Amboinsche Zee vindt : daar beneven zommige Mineraalen, Gesteenten, en soorten van Aarde, die in d'Amboinsche, en zommige omleggende Eilanden gevonden worden : Verdeelt in drie bocken, &c. Rumpf, Georg Eberhard, 1627–1702. Amsterdam Vol. 1. 340 pp. 60 pls. [pl. 6 fig. O] [pre-Linnaean name, thus unavailable].
• Monoculus taurus Slabber, M. 1778. Natuurkundige verlustigingen, behelzende microscopise waarnemingen van in- en uitlandse water- en land-dieren. [Publisher unknown] 166 pp. 18 pls. [35, 159 pl. 5 figs 1, 2 pl. 18 fig. 1].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, not determined.
• Cancer granarius Herbst, J.F.W. 1783. Versuch einer Naturgeschichte der Krabben und Krebse nebst einer Systematischen Beischreibung ihrer Verschieden Arten. Zurich : Joh. Casper Fuessly Vol. 1 Pts 2–5 pp. 87–182 pls 2–9. [3 volumes and an Atlas published from 1782–1804].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, ZMB (lost (not found by Sakai, K. 1999. J. F. W. Herbst-Collection of decapod Crustacea of the Berlin Zoological Museum, with remarks on certain species. Naturalists, Tokushima Biological Laboratory, Shikoku University 6: 1–45 pls 1–21)), not determined.
• Cancer viridis Herbst, J.F.W. 1783. Versuch einer Naturgeschichte der Krabben und Krebse nebst einer Systematischen Beischreibung ihrer Verschieden Arten. Zurich : Joh. Casper Fuessly Vol. 1 Pts 2–5 pp. 87–182 pls 2–9. [3 volumes and an Atlas published from 1782–1804].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, ZMB (lost (not found by Sakai, K. 1999. J. F. W. Herbst-Collection of decapod Crustacea of the Berlin Zoological Museum, with remarks on certain species. Naturalists, Tokushima Biological Laboratory, Shikoku University 6: 1–45 pls 1–21)), not determined.
• Cancer pygmaeus Fabricius, J.C. 1787. Mantissa Insectorum sistens eorum Species nuper detectas, adiectis Characteribus genericis, Differentiis specificis, Emendationibus, Observationibus. Hafniae : C.G. Proft Vol. 1 xx 382 pp.

  Type data:

   Status unknown, npt determined.
• Cancer rhomboidalis Montagu, G. 1804. VII. Description of several Marine Animals found on the South Coast of Devonshire. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 7: 61-65 pls 6, 7 [65 pl. 6 fig. 1].

  Type data:

   Holotype (megalopa, presumed lost), south coast of Devonshire, England.
• Cancer granulatus Say, T. 1817. An account of the Crustacea of the United States, continued. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1(7): 155-168.

  Type data:

   Holotype (lost), east coast of the United States.
• Megalopa montagui Leach, W.E. 1817. Malacostraca Podophthalma Britanniae; or descriptions of the British species of Crabs, Lobsters, Prawns, and of other Malacostraca with pedunculated eyes ... Illustrated with coloured figures of all the species by James Sowerby, F.L.S. G.S. W.S. &c. Nos XIII–XVI. London : James Sowerby pls XVI, XVIII, XX, XXII, XXV, XXXVII, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIV. [text accompanying pl. XVI] [unnecessary nom. nov. for Megalopa rhomboidalis (Montagu, 1804)].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, not determined.
• Portunus carcinoides Kinahan, J.R. 1857. On a Crangon new to science with notes of other nondescript Crustacea, and observations on the distribution of the Crustacea Podophthalmia of the eastern, or Dublin Marine District of Ireland. Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Dublin 2(1856–1857): 27-34.

  Type data:

   Holotype NMINH 2010.6.151, Valentia, County Kerry, Ireland.

  Type locality references:

  Low, M.E.Y., Monaghan, N.T. & Holmes, J.M.C. 2012. The Brachyura described by John Robert Kinahan, and a discussion on Kinahan’s overlooked authorship of the family-group name Litocheiridae (Crustacea: Decapoda). Zootaxa 44–52 [48].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Rathbun, M.J. 1930. The cancroid crabs of America of the families Euryalidae, Portunidae, Atelecyclidae, Cancridae and Xanthidae. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 152: i-xvi 1-609, text-figs 1-85 pls 1-230 [15]
• Manning, R.B. & Holthuis, L.B. 1981. West African Brachyuran Crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology No. 306: i-xii, 1-379 figs 1-88, 2 appendices [75]
• Adema, J.P.H.M. 1991. Krabben van Nederland en Belgie (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura). Leiden : National Natuurhistorisch Museum xii 244 pp. [133]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Originally from European and north-west African coasts, North Sea and Baltic, now spread to southern Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Hawaii and the west coast of north America.

Introduced from north-western Atlantic.

IMCRA

Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Ecological Descriptors

Estuary, mud flats, rocks, sand flats, seagrass, subtidal.

Extra Ecological Information

In rock crevices high on beach, on bay and estuarine mud and sand flats, among seagrass, burrowing predator of molluscs and fin-fish species, intertidal to 60 m depth.

General References

Crothers, J.H. 1966. The biology of the shore crab Carcinus maenus (L.) 1. The background — anatomy, growth and life-history. Field Studies 3: 109-124

Furlani, D.M. 1996. A Guide to the Introduced Marine Species in Australian Waters. Technical Report Number 5. Hobart : Centre for Research on Introduced Marine Pests, C.S.I.R.O. (unpaginated, loose-leaf) Vol. 5. (summary of Australian distributional records)

Holthuis, L.B. & Gottlieb, E. 1958. Alpheidae Brachyura. Bulletin No. 18. An annotated List of the Decapod Crustacea of the Mediterranean Coast of Israel, with an Appendix listing the Decapoda of the Eastern Mediterranean. Bulletin of the Research Council of Israel Sect. B: Zoology 7B(1–2): 1-126 figs 1-15 pls 1-3 [84]

Zeidler, W. 1978. Note on the occurrence of the European Shore Crab Carcinus maenas (Linn., 1758). South Australian Naturalist 153: 11-12

History of changes