Morphology data of Callinectes danae
Identification keys
Main Ref. Tavares, M., 2003
Appearance refers to

Sex attributes

specialized organs
different appearance
different colors
remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Diagnosis Carapace slightly more than twice as broad as long; 9 teeth on arched anterolateral margin 9outer orbital tooth and strong lateral spine included) progressively more acuminate laterally; outer pair of frontal teeth (excluding inner orbital angles) prominent but inner pair small. Much of convex dorsal surface lightly granulate, most prominently so on anterior and elevated areas and in transverse lines; central trapezoidal (metagastric) area short and wide (anterior width about 2 to 2.5 times, posterior width about 1.5 times length). Pincers dissimilar, ridged longitudinally; fifth legs flattened in form of paddles. Male with T-shaped abdomen reaching slightly beyond suture between thoracic sternites 4 and 5; first pleopods reaching beyond midpoint of thoracic 6, nearly straight distally except for merabranous tips usually bent ventrolaterally, armed with scattered, minute, mainly dorsal spinules and 2 to 4 subterminal, exceedingly slender, elongate sternomesial spinules. Color: variably olive to greyish blue dorsally, spines olive to indigo and white-tipped; pincers with variable blue to purple on upper and inner surfaces, olive to blue externally; legs predominantly dark blue to azure or greenish, underparts white. Some individuals are duller and some have a reticulate pinkish blue cast on the upper surface of chelipeds.
Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Callinectes danae

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
spines     
soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
spines     
soft-rays   
Ref. [ e.g. 3742]
Glossary [ e.g. cnidaria]
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