Porcellanella triloba (Painted porcelain crab)
Identification
A small porcelain crab with a white to brown translucent body with large white spots on the legs.
Status
Unassessed by the IUCN Red list. This is an uncommon species of porcelain crab, not often seen.
Habitat
IndoPacific: From Indonesia and the Philippines to Japan. It can be found on sea pens in muddy habitats in the sublittoral zones (beyond the intertidal zone), in a depth range of 30-70 meters.
Reproduction
Sexual reproduction with precopulatory courtship rituals and indirect sperm transfer.
Size
Up to 2,5cm.
Prey / Predation
They feed on plankton, which they filter out of the water column with their specialized claws.
Special features
Also known as Porcellanella picta, but renamed in 2010.
