''Mictyris platycheles'' is a species of

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 ...

found on

mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal ...

s on the east coast of Australia from

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

and Victoria to

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

. They live in large groups, so are commonly called soldier crabs. Adults are across and similarly tall, and are coloured blue to blue-grey. ''Mictyris platycheles'' gets its food by picking up balls of sands and putting it in its mouth, which filters out the food particles (detritus).

References

Ocypodoidea Marine fauna of Eastern Australia Marine fauna of Tasmania Crustaceans described in 1852 Crustaceans of Australia Taxa named by Henri Milne-Edwards {{Ocypodoidea-stub