Malacostraca |
Decapoda |
Portunidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; depth range 0 - 65 m (Ref. 106819). Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: From Pakistan westwards to the Arabian Gulf extending to the east African coast to South Africa and to Madagascar and Mauritius. Introduced in the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and established up to the northern Tyrrhenian Sea.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 7.4  range ? - ? cm Max length : 16.2 cm CW male/unsexed; (Ref. 115276); 16.2 cm CW (female)
Lives mainly in coastal waters in seagrass meadows and along mangroves (Ref. 115276), and intertidal mudflats (Ref. 128960). Found under rocks and in rock pools, on sandy or muddy substrate (Ref. 111207). Larger biomass is seen between depths of 2 to 15 m. Small juveniles are found in very shallow waters (less than 1 m); females occupy deep-water zones during spawning (Ref. 115276). Opportunistic predator, primarily a carnivore preying on a variety of benthic animals and less marine plants and seagrass (Ref. 108412). Prolific predators of bivalves. Some suggested that they're opportunistic omnivores or detritivores, feeding on carrion, especially on fishing-discards. Efficient night time forager, using a characteristic zigzag search pattern to locate prey (Ref. 115276).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Safaie, M., J. Pazooki, B. Kiabi and M.R. Shokri. 2013. (Ref. 107016)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood itemsDiet compositionFood consumptionFood rationsPredators Human RelatedAquaculture profiles
Stamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=1.6-1.7).
Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).