Cardisoma is a genus of large land crabs. Three species formerly placed in this genus are now placed in Discoplax.[1] The four species that remain in Cardisoma are found in warm coastal regions where they live in burrows. Young individuals are often very colourful with a purple-blue carapace and orange-red legs (leading to a level of popularity in the pet trade), but as they grow older the colours tend to fade, and females may be duller than males. Although less extreme than in fiddler crabs, one claw is usually considerably larger than the other.[2] They are omnivores, but primarily feed on plant material.[3]
The genus Cardisoma comprises these four species:[1]
| Image | Name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardisoma armatum Herklots, 1851 | (African) rainbow crab, (Nigerian) moon crab or patriot crab | east Atlantic coastal regions | |
| Cardisoma carnifex (Herbst, 1794) | red-claw crab | Indo-Pacific coastal regions | |
| Cardisoma crassum Smith, 1870 | mouthless crab | east Pacific coastal regions | |
| Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille, 1825 | blue land crab or giant land crab | west Atlantic coastal regions | |