''Maja capensis'', the Agulhas spider crab, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura (meaning "short tailed" in Greek language, Greek), which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen#Arthropoda, abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the Thorax (arthropo ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Majidae Majidae is a family (biology), family of crabs, comprising around 200 Ocean, marine species inside 52 genera, with a carapace that is longer than it is broad, and which forms a point at the front. The arthropod leg, legs can be very long in some ...

Distribution

The Agulhas spider crab is known from the west coast of Africa and round the South African coast to Durban in 2–100 m of water.

Description

The Agulhas spider crab may grow to . It has an orange to red

carapace A carapace is a dorsal (upper) 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 unde ...

covered with short spines and protruding granules, and is often camouflaged with attached animals. It has two double-pointed projections extending between its eyes. The front margins of its carapace are serrated.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6737363 Majoidea Crustaceans described in 1894