Cyclograpsus insularum
- Usual depth0–6 m
- Water temperature17–22 °C
- Best monthsJanuary
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) Kelvin Perrie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kelvin Perrie · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
The northern smooth shore crab is a marine crab of the family Varunidae, found around Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, the Kermadec Islands and in New Zealand from North Cape to East Cape. Their carapace width is up to 22 millimetres (0.87 in).
Text from the Wikipedia article “Northern smooth shore crab”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 18 records
- February: 2 records
- March: 6 records
- April: 2 records
- May: 1 records
- June: 0 records
- July: 1 records
- August: 0 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 0 records
- November: 0 records
- December: 5 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 0–6 m · Deepest record: 6 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 17–22 °C
Photos
(c) Kelvin Perrie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kelvin Perrie · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Saryu Mae 前 朝琉, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Kelvin Perrie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Kelvin Perrie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Lisa Bennett, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
Similar species
Smooth Shore CrabCyclograpsus lavauxi
Smooth Shore CrabCyclograpsus audouinii
Purple Mottled Shore CrabCyclograpsus granulosus
Globose shore crabCyclograpsus integer
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 40 open-data records from 1921 to 2011.
- Species data updated November 1, 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.