Common Name: Spiny Porcelain Crab

Distribution: Rare in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, Andaman Islands, Indonesia to southern Taiwan, south to Australia. In Australia two specimens recorded previously from southern Queensland, one at North Stradbroke Island and another at Flinders Reef.

Ecological Notes: Known to be commensal with giant anemones, species Heteractis crispa and Heteractis malu. Depth to 20 m.

Additional Notes: Whitish colouration with fine red spots forming reddish blotches. Dorsal surface of carapace is lumpy and uneven, and there are large triangular spines above each eye socket. Similar N. maculatus has smooth carapace. Specimen in top photograph was inadvertently captured along with the host anemone which was collected from North Solitary Island as part of a laboratory experiment. The lower two photographs show specimens in host anemone, Heteractis crispa. This Family of crabs are filter feeders, the lowest photograph shows the mouthpart appendages extended for capturing food particles from the water column. Carapace size to 3 cm.

References: Identification and distribution information thanks to Peter Davie, Senior Curator, Crustacea, Queensland Museum, Brisbane.

Reef Creature Identification, Tropical Pacific. Paul Humann, Ned DeLoach, New World Publications Inc, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, 2012 edition. p.179.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=neopetrolisthes+spinatus. Accessed 25/03/2019.