New Distributional Record of Red Frog Crab, Ranina ranina (Linnaeus, 1758) (Decapoda: Raninidae) with Finding of Maximum Carapace Length from North-West Coast of India

The red frog crab, Ranina ranina (Linnaeus, 1758) is recorded for the first time from the Veraval fishing harbour (20° 50′ N and 70° 28′ E), Gujarat, northwest coast of India. The red frog crab was collected from the bycatch of a commercial trawler targeted for crustaceans operated at a depth of 20–70m. A single specimen of red frog crab carapace length measured 170 mm and width 130 mm. Based on key identification characters, such as a large-sized body with a carapace region elongated widely which is higher in size when compared to the wide body size; anterior margin with a critical triangular structure of rostrum; carapace width from the 3rd dorsal region in which the wide part coincides with the pattern of white spots transverse to the dorsal carapace, the collected specimen was identified as R. ranina . The photographs of the specimen along with the morphometric measurements and meristic characters were described and discussed with previous works of literatures. Present report documents the highest carapace length for this red frog crab followed by range extension and extended distribution of this species in the Gujarat region along the northwest coast of India.