About Parasesarma messa (Campbell, 1967)
Parasesarma messa, commonly known as the maroon mangrove crab, is a species of burrowing crab that occurs in Queensland, Australia. This species inhabits mangroves growing in estuaries and sheltered bays. It was first formally described under the name Sesarma messa, and was moved to the genus Parasesarma in 2017. Perisesarma messa is an accepted synonym of this species. The specific epithet ‘messa’ is derived from the initial letters of the phrase "Medially Expanded Second Segment of Abdomen". The carapace of this crab reaches a maximum width of 25 mm (0.98 in), and has a single tooth (notch) along its edge. The crab's claws are colored dark maroon to nearly black, and female crabs have smaller claws than male crabs.
