About Lophozozymus pictor (Fabricius, 1798)
The specific epithet "pictor" in the scientific name Lophozozymus pictor means painter in Latin. For physical characteristics, this crab grows to a body size of 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in), with a somewhat fan-shaped body that is usually red to orange, marked by striking large white spots arranged in a mosaic-like pattern. Its pincers are short, both approximately equal in size, and have black tips. Its walking legs are hairy and end in pointed tips. Lophozozymus pictor is distributed across China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and French Polynesia. In the Philippines, it is called Calintugas locally, and it lives in coral areas in Batangas, Mindoro, Sorsogon, Negros Oriental, and Samar. This species is recognized as one of the most poisonous crabs in the world. Its neurotoxin is not broken down by heat, even when the crab is cooked.
