Vietorientalia rubra, formerly known as Hainanpotamon rubrum and Orientalia rubra, is an extant species of freshwater crab native to Vietnam.[1] V. rubra is known in the pet trade as the pirate crab or warrior crab due to the hook-like appearance of the large claw.[2]
| Vietorientalia rubra | |
|---|---|
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| Blue pirate crab for sale in a United States pet store | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Potamidae |
| Genus: | Vietorientalia |
| Species: | V. rubra
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| Binomial name | |
| Vietorientalia rubra Đăng & Trần, 1992
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| Synonyms | |
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Care
editV. rubra is a terrestrial crab, and requires both land and freshwater. Individuals require water deep enough to cover 100% of their body in order to molt, though water covering 50-60% of the body height is otherwise suitable. These crabs can be fed dry fish or crab food, or live food such as roaches or shrimp. They are good climbers, and require a lid on their enclosure to prevent escape. V. rubra should be kept at 77 – 89.6°F (20 – 32°C).[2]
Although many of the individuals currently for sale are wild caught, there has been some success with breeding these crabs in captivity.[3] In captivity, these crabs usually live 3-5 years, though some have been known to live up to ten years.[2]
References
edit- ^ "WoRMS – World Register of Marine Species – Vietorientalia rubra (Đăng & Trần, 1992)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
- ^ a b c "Yellow Pirate Crab (Vietorintalia rubrum) for Sale". My Home Nature. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
- ^ Nguyen, Quynh (2022-07-29). "Colorful crabs hook pet lovers". VnExpress International. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
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