Charybdis Feriata/ 花市仔

Charybdis feriata is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from Japan, China and Australia to Southern Africa and the Persian Gulf. It is an edible crab and because of its large size, high quality of meat and relatively soft exoskeleton, it has a high commercial value. Attempts are being made to farm this crab using aquaculture. In Hong Kong Cantonese it is known as the flowery crab (花蟹). This name probably arises from its red and white colouring when cooked. This species of crab is also known as Charybdis feriatus and Charybdis cruciata, and has also been found in the Mediterranean Sea. The specific epithet cruciata refers to the red cross on the carapace of this species.