Florent's Guide To The

Tropical Reefs

Indo-Pacific Swimming Crab
Charybdis (Charybdis) hellerii
Indo-Pacific Swimming Crab
Also known as: Spiny Hands
Category: Swimming Crabs
Scientific Name: Charybdis (Charybdis) hellerii
Size: Up to 2 in. (5 cm)  
Distribution: Florida, Caribbean, Indo-Pacific, Gulf of America
This is an invasive species in the Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
Arthropoda (Phylum) Arthropods
└Crustacea (Subphylum) Crustaceans
 └Multicrustacea (Superclass) Typical Crustaceans
  └Malacostraca (Class) Malacostracans
   └Eumalacostraca (Subclass) Decapods, Isopods, and Allies
    └Eucarida (Superorder)
     └Decapoda (Order) Decapods
      └Pleocyemata (Suborder)
       └Brachyura (Infraorder) True Crabs
        └Portunoidea (Superfamily)
         └Portunidae (Family) Swimming Crabs
          └Thalamitinae (Subfamily)
           └Charybdis (Genus)
            └Charybdis (Subgenus)
             └C. hellerii (Species)
WoRMS ID: 107382🔗
iNaturalist ID: 199399🔗

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© 2026 Florent Charpin