Thursday, 7. May 2009, 23:38
Text by: Monika Rademacher
Photos by: Oliver Mengedoht
Translated by: Ulli Bauer
Scientific name: Ceylonthelphusa kandambyi
Trivial name: Ceylon leopard crab
Systematics: Domain: Eucaryota, kingdom: Animalia, subkingdom: Metazoa (multiple-celled animals), Eumetazoa (true tissue), grade: Bilateria, branch: Protostomia, infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa (molting animals), phylum: Arthropoda (jointed-leg invertebrates), subphylum: Crustacea, class: Malacostraca (higher crustaceans), superorder: Eucarida, order: Decapoda (ten-legged crayfish), suborder: Pleocyemata, infraorder: Reptantia, section: Brachyura (true crabs), superfamily: Gecarcinucoidea, family: Parathelphusidae (Ceylon freshwater crabs), subfamily: Ceylonthelphusinae ("Group 1 rugosa"), species: Ceylonthelphusa kandambyi
Origin/range: Province of Udugama/Sabaragamuva, Bentota river system near Mathugama City in the west of Sri Lankas; not threatened
![[Bild: DSC_4890.jpg]](http://www.panzerwelten.de/d/42419-2/DSC_4890.jpg)
More pix: http://www.panzerwelten.de/v/Ceylonthelp...rdkrabben/
Description: basic color beige to orange, backside sometimes lightly greenish, with red to brownish speckles
Sex differences: Typical for crabs, the males have a narrow abdominal apron and their claws are of different sizes; the females have a wider apron (although not as pronounced as other crab species) and smaller claws.
Size: These crabs are presumed to reach a carapace width of up to 4 cm.
Life span: ? (several years)
Water temperature: tropical (assumed: 20 to 28 °C)
Tank size/stock: starting at 60 cm for a pair
Tank set-up: Aquarium with a small land part; well-structured with hideaways (wood, rocks), tree leaves (as hiding-place and food).
Food: Typical for crabs, they are omnivores.
• Leaves (the main staple of many crabs in nature; mostly oak and beech are fed, however, all European broadleaved tree leaves are possible, also Indian almond leaves), muck, water plants
• Vegetables/fruit: nearly all vegetables and fruit are suitable (peas, lettuce, cucumber, apple, zucchini, pear, banana, grapes, tomato, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers) except for parsley and beans or other kinds that contain Prussic acid or copper; carrots (boiled); potato and rice (boiled) or noodles (uncooked? Don't leave these in the tank for too long a time though, they can be the cause of turbid water and finally lead to a bacteria bloom and oxygen depletion); no citrus fruit due to their high acid content
• Dry food: Catfish tabs, fish (flake) food, food pellets, rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla food pellets (without copper!), Spirulina tabs, crayfish tabs, Gammarus
• Frozen food: Black, glass and blood worms, Cyclops, brine shrimp, clam meat
• Live food: Earthworms (it's best to cut them into pieces though, or else these worms might burrow in the substrate, possibly also under water, die and rot there unnoticed until it's too late)
• Meat (rarely): Chicken bones with meat rests (rinsed well to prevent too much fat from getting into the terrarium)
• Fish: deep-frozen smelts et.al., tuna fish, sardines, herring etc. fresh or from a can (in their own juice, not in oil)
Behavior: ?
Reproduction: specialized reproduction in fresh water with fully developed young crabs instead of larvae.
Socialization: Shrimp, snails (smaller ones might be eaten from time to time).
Additional information:
Relatively closely related to the already better-known Indian Freshwater Crab (Oziothelphusa ceylonensis).
Very secretive! Only for real crab enthusiasts!
Photos by: Oliver Mengedoht
Translated by: Ulli Bauer
Scientific name: Ceylonthelphusa kandambyi
Trivial name: Ceylon leopard crab
Systematics: Domain: Eucaryota, kingdom: Animalia, subkingdom: Metazoa (multiple-celled animals), Eumetazoa (true tissue), grade: Bilateria, branch: Protostomia, infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa (molting animals), phylum: Arthropoda (jointed-leg invertebrates), subphylum: Crustacea, class: Malacostraca (higher crustaceans), superorder: Eucarida, order: Decapoda (ten-legged crayfish), suborder: Pleocyemata, infraorder: Reptantia, section: Brachyura (true crabs), superfamily: Gecarcinucoidea, family: Parathelphusidae (Ceylon freshwater crabs), subfamily: Ceylonthelphusinae ("Group 1 rugosa"), species: Ceylonthelphusa kandambyi
Origin/range: Province of Udugama/Sabaragamuva, Bentota river system near Mathugama City in the west of Sri Lankas; not threatened
More pix: http://www.panzerwelten.de/v/Ceylonthelp...rdkrabben/
Description: basic color beige to orange, backside sometimes lightly greenish, with red to brownish speckles
Sex differences: Typical for crabs, the males have a narrow abdominal apron and their claws are of different sizes; the females have a wider apron (although not as pronounced as other crab species) and smaller claws.
Size: These crabs are presumed to reach a carapace width of up to 4 cm.
Life span: ? (several years)
Water temperature: tropical (assumed: 20 to 28 °C)
Tank size/stock: starting at 60 cm for a pair
Tank set-up: Aquarium with a small land part; well-structured with hideaways (wood, rocks), tree leaves (as hiding-place and food).
Food: Typical for crabs, they are omnivores.
• Leaves (the main staple of many crabs in nature; mostly oak and beech are fed, however, all European broadleaved tree leaves are possible, also Indian almond leaves), muck, water plants
• Vegetables/fruit: nearly all vegetables and fruit are suitable (peas, lettuce, cucumber, apple, zucchini, pear, banana, grapes, tomato, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers) except for parsley and beans or other kinds that contain Prussic acid or copper; carrots (boiled); potato and rice (boiled) or noodles (uncooked? Don't leave these in the tank for too long a time though, they can be the cause of turbid water and finally lead to a bacteria bloom and oxygen depletion); no citrus fruit due to their high acid content
• Dry food: Catfish tabs, fish (flake) food, food pellets, rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla food pellets (without copper!), Spirulina tabs, crayfish tabs, Gammarus
• Frozen food: Black, glass and blood worms, Cyclops, brine shrimp, clam meat
• Live food: Earthworms (it's best to cut them into pieces though, or else these worms might burrow in the substrate, possibly also under water, die and rot there unnoticed until it's too late)
• Meat (rarely): Chicken bones with meat rests (rinsed well to prevent too much fat from getting into the terrarium)
• Fish: deep-frozen smelts et.al., tuna fish, sardines, herring etc. fresh or from a can (in their own juice, not in oil)
Behavior: ?
Reproduction: specialized reproduction in fresh water with fully developed young crabs instead of larvae.
Socialization: Shrimp, snails (smaller ones might be eaten from time to time).
Additional information:
Relatively closely related to the already better-known Indian Freshwater Crab (Oziothelphusa ceylonensis).
Very secretive! Only for real crab enthusiasts!