Tuerkayana hirtipes Japanese Name: オカガニChinese Name: 毛足圓盤蟹English Name: Pacific land crabOrigin: Widely distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region The Pacific Land Crab (Tuerkayana hirtipes) has a dark carapace, ranging from dark brown to black. Its eyes are also black, and the hairy area on its cheeks is rectangular in shape. It mainly inhabits inland coastal… Continue reading Pacific Land Crab
Category: Other Animals
Himeyuri Freshwater Crab
Geothelphusa tenuimanus Japanese name: ヒメユリサワガニChinese name: 細掌澤蟹English name: Himeyuri Freshwater CrabOrigin: Endemic to Okinawajima The Himeyuri Freshwater Crab is a relatively small species with a carapace width of about 3 cm. It is characterized by extremely slender walking legs and a body color that is usually tinged with purplish-red. It inhabits limestone areas on Okinawajima,… Continue reading Himeyuri Freshwater Crab
Giant Japanese Funnel-web Spider
Macrothele gigas Japanese Name: オオクロケブカジョウゴグモChinese Name: 巨型長尾蛛English Name: Giant Japanese Funnel-web SpiderOrigin: Ishigakijima, Iriomotejima The genus Macrothele is commonly called “jougogumo” (ジョウゴグモ) in Japanese, a name likely derived from the shape of its web, which resembles a funnel (漏斗, jougo). The following Macrothele species are found in Japan: Although M. gigas and M. yaginumai are… Continue reading Giant Japanese Funnel-web Spider
Brown Land Crab
Cardisoma carnifex Japanese Name: ミナミオカガニChinese Name: 凶狠圓軸蟹English Name: Brown Land CrabOrigin: Coastal regions of Southeast Asia bordering the Pacific and Indian Oceans; in Japan, found on islands south of Yoronjima in the Ryukyu Islands. The Brown Land Crab is one of the terrestrial crabs found in the Ryukyu Islands. In recent years, its population has… Continue reading Brown Land Crab
Amami Whipscorpion
Typopeltis stimpsonii Japanese Name: アマミサソリモドキChinese Name: 奄美鞭蠍English Name: Amami WhipscorpionOrigin: Izena Island, Tokunoshima, Amami Oshima, Tokara Islands, Osumi Islands (Kuchinoerabujima, Iojima, Takeshima), Satsuma Peninsula, Kamikoshikijima This species is endemic to Japan. However, due to human introduction, it has established populations outside its natural range, such as in Ushibuka (Amakusa City) and Hachijojima, where it is… Continue reading Amami Whipscorpion
Taiwan Whipscorpion
Typopeltis crucifer Japanese Name: タイワンサソリモドキChinese Name: 台灣鞭蠍English Name: Taiwan WhipscorpionOrigin: Iheyajima, Okinawajima, Ishigakijima, Iriomotejima, Hatomajima, Kohamajima, Yonagunijima, Taiwan When threatened, the Whipscorpion releases an acidic gas containing acetic acid from the tip of its tail to drive away predators. This species is relatively common on Ishigakijima and Iriomotejima but rarely seen on Okinawajima. Males and… Continue reading Taiwan Whipscorpion
Minei Freshwater Crab
Geothelphusa minei Japanese Name: ミネイサワガニChinese Name: 嶺井澤蟹English Name: Minei Freshwater CrabOrigin: Ishigakijima, Iriomotejima The Minei Freshwater Crab is an endemic species found only on Ishigakijima and Iriomotejima. It is a small freshwater crab with a carapace length of about 2.5 cm. Its claws are slightly reddish-orange in color.
Little Nipper Crab
Geograpsus grayi Japanese Name: カクレイワガニChinese Name: 格雷陸方蟹、葛氏陸方蟹English Name: Little Nipper CrabOrigin: Widely distributed from the western Pacific to the Indian Ocean and eastern coast of Africa Among the crabs in the family Grapsidae, the genus Geograpsus shows a relatively high degree of terrestrial adaptation. These land crabs store water in their body and extract oxygen… Continue reading Little Nipper Crab
Miyako Freshwater Crab
Geothelphusa miyakoensis Japanese Name: ミヤコサワガニChinese Name: 宮古澤蟹English Name: Miyako Freshwater CrabOrigin: Miyakojima (Miyako island) The Miyako Freshwater Crab is an endemic freshwater crab species of Miyakojima, with a carapace width of approximately 3 cm. Currently, it is known to inhabit only four groundwater spring sites, making its population extremely small. Furthermore, the species is facing… Continue reading Miyako Freshwater Crab
Yaeyama Ryukyu Crab
Ryukyum yaeyamense Japanese name: ヤエヤマヤマガニChinese name: 八重山琉球蟹English name: Yaeyama Ryukyu CrabOrigin: Found on Ishigaki Island, Iriomote Island, and Kohama Island The genus Ryukyum is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands and currently includes only the Yaeyama Ryukyu Crab. This species is designated as a rare wild species in Okinawa Prefecture, with numbers decreasing due to habitat… Continue reading Yaeyama Ryukyu Crab