How related are they?
Same family, Mithracidae (Mithracid spider crabs): close cousins
They split at the genus level: the Pitho Crab belongs to Pitho, the Spider Crab to Mithraculus (Clinging crabs).
Find the Pitho Crab on the tree · Find the Spider Crab on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Pitho Crab | Spider Crab |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum | Arthropoda Arthropods | |
| Subphylum | Crustacea Crustaceans | |
| Superclass | Multicrustacea | |
| Class | Malacostraca Malacostracans | |
| Subclass | Eumalacostraca | |
| Superorder | Eucarida | |
| Order | Decapoda Decapods | |
| Suborder | Pleocyemata Egg-carrying decapods | |
| Infraorder | Brachyura true crabs | |
| Section | Eubrachyura | |
| Subsection | Heterotremata | |
| Superfamily | Majoidea spider crabs | |
| Family | Mithracidae Mithracid spider crabs | |
| Genus split | Pitho | Mithraculus Clinging crabs |
| Species | Pitho mirabilis Pitho Crab | Mithraculus forceps Red-ridged Clinging Crab |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Pitho Crab | Spider Crab |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Invertebrate · Crab | Invertebrate · Crab |
| Care level | Easy | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | With caution |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivore | Omnivore |
| Favorite foods | Hair and turf algae, Bubble algae (Valonia), Caulerpa and Dictyota | Hair and film algae, Bubble algae, Macroalgae |
| Max size | 1.5 in (3.8 cm) | 1 in (2.5 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gal | 26 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 72–82 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.023–1.025 | — |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8–8.3 |
| Lifespan | About 1-3 or more years with proper care, per one retailer (Top Shelf Aquatics); no published data. | No published data. |
| Breeding | Not achieved | Hard |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |