(Herbst, 1799)
The lateral margins of the carapace have a defined epibranchial spine or tooth. The frontal margin is cut into four teeth or lobes more or less projecting; a deep antennal sinus separates the lateral frontal lobe and the internal superior orbital angle. The inferior margin of the cheliped palm is furnished with coarse, pointed granules forming saw-like teeth. The teeth of the front are more deeply separated from each other; the summits of the submedians do not reach the level of the lateral teeth. On a reddish-white background the chelipeds and ambulatory legs are furnished with reddish or orange spots. The carapace has about 100 to 200 spots. (Serène, 1984)
Type locality: unknown.
Range: Somalia - Gesira (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Kenya - Mombasa (Serène, 1984, Castro, 1999a); Zanzibar (Hilgendorf, 1869); Mozambique - Delagoa Bay (Barnard, 1950), Coconut Bay (Castro, 1999a); South Africa - Cape of Good Hope (MacLeay, 1838), Mbotye, Eastern Cape Province (Castro, 1999a); Mayotte (Serène, 1984, Castro, 1999a); Iles Glorieuses (Miers, 1884b, Castro, 1999a); Madagascar - Tamatave (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a, Castro, 1999a); Seychelles - Praslin (Serène, 1984), Etoile, Amirante Islands (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a), Praslin, Mahé, Aride and Desnoeufs (Castro, 1999a); Mauritius (Bouvier, 1915b, Michel, 1964, Castro, 1999a); India; Sri Lanka - (Alcock, 1898), Galle (Serène, 1971a), Galle and Wiligama (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Maldives - (Borradaile, 1902b, Serène, 1971a), S. Nilandu Atoll and Addu Atoll (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a), Addu Atoll (Castro, 1999a); Chagos Archipelago - Salomon and Egmont (Rathbun, 1911, Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a), Salomon (Castro, 1999a); Cocos Islands (Tweedie, 1950b, Castro, 1999a); Christmas Island (Calman, 1909, Castro, 1999a); Japan - Amami-shoto and Yaeyama-retto (Sakai, 1976a), Ginowan, Okinawa (Shokita et al., 2000); Taiwan - (Chang et al., 1987), Nan-wan (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); China - Paracel Islands (Dai & Yang, 1991); Philippines - Zamboanga (Miers, 1886, Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Indonesia - Edam Island (de Man, 1888d), Bali, and Ambon (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a), Karakelong Island, Amurang, Talisei Island, Lembeh Strait, Obilatu, Ambon and Kupang Bay, Timor, (Castro, 1999b); Caroline Islands - Ifalik and Kapingamarangi Atoll (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); New Britain - Kokopo near Rabaul (Takeda & Nunomura, 1976); Marshall Islands - Eniwetok, Bikini and Arno (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Kiribati - Onotoa (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Solomon Islands - Stewart Islands (Sendler, 1923), Malaita (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Tuvalu - Funafuti (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Australia - off Lizard Island and Lady Elliott Island (Castro, 1997a); Chesterfield Island (Castro, 1997a); New Caledonia (A. Milne Edwards, 1873, Castro, 1997a); Samoa (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Hawaiian Islands - Oahu (Rathbun, 1906); Line Islands - Palmyra (Edmondson, 1923), Palmyra and Christmas Island (Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a); Marquesas Islands - Nuku Hiva (Jacquinot & Lucas, 1853), Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa (Castro, 1997b); Society Islands - Tahiti (Dana, 1952, Odinetz, 1983, Castro, 1997b), Raiatea (Boone, 1934); Tuamotu Archipelago - Makemo (Rathbun, 1907), Tikehau (Peyrot-Clausade, 1989, Castro, 1997b).