COMMON NAMES: Lowland Cardisoma-Crab

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Tupa (RR MK MT TS TW RK), Tutupa (AT), Kaipea (PK)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Indian Ocean - Indonesia - w.Pacific - Cooks - Tuamotu

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group common inland; N.Group common.; Land, coastal to inland lowlands; Not in seawater-inundated coastal muds. In inland coralline soils and in lowland volcanic soils.

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Not eaten

KEY FEATURES: A large purplish-black, purplish-brown or orange-brown crab, the male having equal chelipeds, similar to the female.

SIMILAR SPECIES: For separation from Cardisoma carnifex see under that species. Cardisoma longipes, only on makatea-islands, has its 3rd walking leg 2x-or-more the carapace width. Cardisoma hirtipes is almost identical but it has the distance from external orbital tooth to epibranchial tooth less than one-third of orbital width (vs. greater than one-third, usually ±half); central epistome is clearly granulated (vs. smooth); and merus of the walking legs has a distinct subdistal tooth (vs. obscure tooth).