A living guide to Kauaʻi
Crustaceans of Kauaʻi
Explore the island’s native and introduced species, habitats, watersheds and conservation work. Each record connects its description, images and sources with the interactive Atlas.
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Quadrimaera quadrimana
Quadrimaera quadrimana
Quadrimaera quadrimana is an amphipod crustacean in the family Maeridae. Its current scientific name is cited as Quadrimaera quadrimana (Dana, 1852). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili reef (Marriott Hotel reef)
Quadrimaera serrata
Quadrimaera serrata
Quadrimaera serrata is an amphipod crustacean in the family Maeridae. Its current scientific name is cited as Quadrimaera serrata (Schellenberg, 1938). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili reef (Marriott Hotel ree
Reductoniscus costulatus
Reductoniscus costulatus
Reductoniscus costulatus is a tiny terrestrial pill woodlouse in Armadillidae, reaching about 2 mm. Taiti and Howarth (1996, printed p. 67) report one Kauaʻi specimen collected from beach leaf litter at Hāʻena near the start of the Kalalau–
Schizophroida hilensis
Schizophroida hilensis
Schizophroida hilensis is a decapod crustacean in the family Majidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Schizophroida hilensis (Rathbun, 1906). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili reef (Marriott Hotel reef)
Samoan mud crab
Scylla serrata
Scylla serrata is a decapod crustacean in the family Portunidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Scylla serrata (Forskål, 1775). Published sources characterize its origin status as Introduced. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the
Simocarcinus simplex
Simocarcinus simplex
Simocarcinus simplex is a decapod crustacean in the family Epialtidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Simocarcinus simplex (Dana, 1851). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen reef. The cited evidence inclu
Solidobalanus hawaiensis
Solidobalanus hawaiensis
Solidobalanus hawaiensis (Pilsbry, 1916) is a marine acorn barnacle. The accepted spelling hawaiensis is supported by WoRMS and ITIS; the former Atlas spelling hawaiiensis is retained only as a search alias. Coles et al. (2004), Bishop Muse
Soliella flava
Soliella flava
Soliella flava is a decapod crustacean in the family Xanthidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Soliella flava (Rathbun, 1894). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen reef and Port Allen Harbor. The cited ev
Spherillo carinulatus
Spherillo carinulatus
Spherillo carinulatus is an isopod crustacean in the family Armadillidae. Published sources characterize its origin status as endemic Hawaiian. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi. The cited evidence includes records
Spherillo hawaiensis
Spherillo hawaiensis
Spherillo hawaiensis is an isopod crustacean in the family Armadillidae. Published sources characterize its origin status as endemic Hawaiian. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi. The cited evidence includes records
Banded coral shrimp
Stenopus hispidus
Stenopus hispidus is a decapod crustacean in the family Stenopodidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Stenopus hispidus (Olivier, 1811). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili Harbor and Port Allen Harbor. E
Stenothoe valida
Stenothoe valida
Stenothoe valida is an amphipod crustacean in the family Stenothoidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Stenothoe valida Dana, 1853. Published sources characterize its origin status as Cryptogenic. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents
Styloniscus spinosus
Styloniscus spinosus
Styloniscus spinosus is an isopod crustacean in the family Styloniscidae. Published sources characterize its origin status as adventive. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi. The cited evidence includes records dated
Snapping shrimp
Synalpheus bituberculatus
Synalpheus bituberculatus is a decapod crustacean in the family Alpheidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Synalpheus bituberculatus De Man, 1910. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili Harbor and Port Allen
Snapping shrimp
Synalpheus paraneomeris
Synalpheus paraneomeris is a decapod crustacean in the family Alpheidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Synalpheus paraneomeris Coutière, 1905. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili Harbor. The cited evide
Snapping shrimp
Synalpheus streptodactylus
Synalpheus streptodactylus is a decapod crustacean in the family Alpheidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Synalpheus streptodactylus Coutière, 1905. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili Harbor. The cited
Talitroides alluaudi
Talitroides alluaudi
Talitroides alluaudi is an amphipod crustacean in the family Talitridae. Published sources characterize its origin status as introduced/adventive. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi cave habitat. Evidence types incl
Talitroides topitotum
Talitroides topitotum
Talitroides topitotum is an amphipod crustacean in the family Talitridae. Published sources characterize its origin status as introduced/adventive. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi cave habitat. Evidence types inc
Thalamita integra
Thalamita integra
Thalamita integra is a decapod crustacean in the family Portunidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Thalamita integra Dana, 1852. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Nawiliwili Harbor. The cited evidence includes re
Trapezia bidentata
Trapezia bidentata
Trapezia bidentata is a decapod crustacean in the family Trapeziidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Trapezia bidentata (Forskål, 1775). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. Evidence types include
Trapezia cymodoce
Trapezia cymodoce
Trapezia cymodoce is a decapod crustacean in the family Trapeziidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Trapezia cymodoce (Herbst, 1801). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. Evidence types include mu
Trapezia digitalis
Trapezia digitalis
Trapezia digitalis is a decapod crustacean in the family Trapeziidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Trapezia digitalis Latreille, 1828. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. Evidence types include
Trapezia rufopunctata
Trapezia rufopunctata
Trapezia rufopunctata is a decapod crustacean in the family Trapeziidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Trapezia rufopunctata (Herbst, 1799). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. Evidence types in
Trichorhina heterophthalma
Trichorhina heterophthalma
Trichorhina heterophthalma is a terrestrial isopod in Platyarthridae, reported as an adventive species in the Hawaiian Islands. Taiti and Howarth (1996, p. 63) identified three Kauaʻi specimens from Casuarina humus at Hāʻena along Highway 5
Trichorhina tomentosa
Trichorhina tomentosa
Trichorhina tomentosa is a minute, pale terrestrial isopod in Platyarthridae. Taiti and Howarth (1996, p. 63) report six female specimens from Acacia decurrens humus along Highway 55 near Waimea, 5.7 miles (9.2 km) beyond its junction with
Tropicana minuta
Tropicana minuta
Tropicana minuta is a terrestrial isopod placed in Philosciidae in the Atlas source taxonomy. Taiti and Howarth (1996, pp. 62–63) report many individuals in Casuarina humus and one in Hibiscus tiliaceus litter at Hāʻena on 13 May 1969, plus
Venezillo parvus
Venezillo parvus
Venezillo parvus is a small terrestrial pill woodlouse in Armadillidae, capable of rolling into a ball. Taiti and Howarth (1996, p. 67) report two Kauaʻi specimens from a pineapple field at Moloʻaʻa and one from Puʻu Konanae on 6 August 192
Xanthias latifrons
Xanthias latifrons
Xanthias latifrons is a decapod crustacean in the family Xanthidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Xanthias latifrons (De Man, 1887). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. Evidence types include mu
Xiphonectes macrophthalmus
Xiphonectes macrophthalmus
Xiphonectes macrophthalmus is a decapod crustacean in the family Portunidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Xiphonectes macrophthalmus (Rathbun, 1906). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. Evidenc
Zeuxo insularis
Zeuxo insularis
Zeuxo insularis is a minute tanaid crustacean in the family Tanaididae. Coles et al. (2004), Bishop Museum Technical Report 29a, printed page 133, lists the historical name Anatanais insularis Miller, 1940 under its 2002 Present Study with
Horn-eyed Ghost Crab
Ocypode urvillii
Horn-eyed Ghost Crab (Ocypode urvillii) is a fast-moving shore crab in the family Ocypodidae. Historical Hawaiian sources also used Ocypode ceratophthalmus and O. ceratophthalma for this record concept. Hawaiian museum literature describes
Pallid Ghost Crab
Ocypode pallidula
Pallid Ghost Crab (Ocypode pallidula), also called ʻŌhiki, is a small pale shore crab in the family Ocypodidae. It is associated with sandy beaches and burrows at the upper edge of the intertidal zone. Published Hawaiian ghost-crab literatu
Greater Hawaiian Land Crab
Geograpsus severnsi
Greater Hawaiian Land Crab (Geograpsus severnsi) was a large endemic terrestrial crab. Subfossil evidence from Kauaʻi includes coastal dune and cave contexts at Poʻipū, Keālia, Makawehi, and Māhāʻulepū. Research places its extinction after
red swamp crayfish
Procambarus clarkii
Procambarus clarkii is a decapod crustacean in the family Cambaridae. Published sources characterize its origin status as introduced. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi freshwater sites. Evidence types include nonin
Hawaiian mountain shrimp
Atyoida bisulcata
Atyoida bisulcata is a decapod crustacean in the family Atyidae. Published sources characterize its origin status as endemic Hawaiian. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Limahuli Stream. The cited evidence includes records
Hawaiian river prawn
Macrobrachium grandimanus
Macrobrachium grandimanus is a decapod crustacean in the family Palaemonidae. Published sources characterize its origin status as endemic Hawaiian. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Limahuli Stream. The cited evidence inc
Tahitian prawn
Macrobrachium lar
Macrobrachium lar is a decapod crustacean in the family Palaemonidae. Published sources characterize its origin status as introduced. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Limahuli Stream. The cited evidence includes records
Gammarid Amphipod
Gammarus sp.
Gammarid Amphipod. Scientific name: Gammarus sp.. Common names: Gammarid Amphipod. Family: Gammaridae
Kauaʻi cave amphipod
Spelaeorchestia koloana
Spelaeorchestia koloana is an amphipod crustacean in the family Talitridae. Published sources characterize its origin status as endemic to Kauaʻi. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kōloa Basin cave habitat. Evidence types
Pacific Giant Centipede
Scolopendra subspinipes
Pacific Giant Centipede. Scientific name: Scolopendra subspinipes. Common names: Pacific Giant Centipede. Family: Scolopendridae
thin-shelled rock crab
Grapsus tenuicrustatus
Grapsus tenuicrustatus is a decapod crustacean in the family Grapsidae. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi coastal/intertidal habitat. Evidence types include island checklist. These records establish a documented Ka
blue-eyed rock crab
Percnon affine
Percnon affine is a decapod crustacean in the family Percnidae. Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Kauaʻi coastal/nearshore habitat. Evidence types include island checklist. These records establish a documented Kauaʻi occu
Purple rock barnacle
Nesochthamalus intertextus
Nesochthamalus intertextus is an acorn barnacle in the family Chthamalidae. Its current scientific name is cited as Nesochthamalus intertextus (Darwin, 1854). Published Kauaʻi evidence documents the species from Port Allen Harbor. The cited
Asteropus kaena
Asteropus kaena
Asteropus kaena is a rough-surfaced marine sponge whose projecting skeletal elements give the outside a distinctly bristly appearance. Hawaiian taxonomic descriptions report a gray exterior and a pale interior. Its inconspicuous coloration
Chondrosia chucalla
Chondrosia chucalla
Chondrosia chucalla is a dark, fleshy sponge recorded in Hawaiian marine communities. Hawaiian feeding research describes small black-brown material that can resemble the green alga Codium arabicum when encountered in mixed samples. That re
Suberites aurantiacus
Suberites aurantiacus
Suberites aurantiacus is a marine demosponge in the family Suberitidae. The Kauaʻi source used the name Suberites zeteki; the reconciliation retains that historical label while linking it to the accepted species name. Public field photograp
Lissodendoryx (Waldoschmittia) hawaiiana
Lissodendoryx (Waldoschmittia) hawaiiana
This bright orange sponge spreads over reef surfaces and into spaces among Porites colonies. Sieve-like pore fields mark the surface, alongside conspicuous oscula. The texture is spongy. The reconstructed colony follows the living Hawaiian
Biemna fistulosa
Biemna fistulosa
A yellow sponge composed of delicate fistules that can merge at their bases. Hawaiian material has elongated tubes approximately five to fifteen centimeters long and about one centimeter wide. It grows in reef crevices and among corals; red
Mycale (Mycale) grandis
Mycale (Mycale) grandis
Often called the keyhole sponge, Mycale grandis can form substantial orange to red-orange growths with prominent water outlets. Hawaiʻi's aquatic invasive-species program treats it as an introduced sponge of concern because it can spread ac
Mycale (Carmia) cecilia
Mycale (Carmia) cecilia
Mycale cecilia is an encrusting or low cushion-forming sponge. Historically reported from Kauaʻi (2002).
Mycale (Zygomycale) parishii
Mycale (Zygomycale) parishii
A soft, fragile sponge forming irregular masses among coral branches and on hard substrates. Prominent oscula rise from the surface. Hawaiian material includes maroon tones; field photographs show broader brownish variation. The plate empha
Halichondria (Halichondria) coerulea
Halichondria (Halichondria) coerulea
Halichondria coerulea was described from Oʻahu as a pale-blue, spreading sponge with elevated projections bearing its larger water outlets. The original account found it on artificial surfaces around Coconut Island, including a floating doc
Halichondria (Halichondria) melanadocia
Halichondria (Halichondria) melanadocia
Hawaiian material identified as Halichondria melanadocia has a dark gray to black outer surface and a dull-yellow interior. The 1967 account described a very soft, easily torn sponge with small surface projections and water outlets raised o
Topsentia halichondrioides
Topsentia halichondrioides
Topsentia halichondrioides is a marine demosponge in the family Halichondriidae. It is represented in modern Indo-Pacific taxonomic work by photographed specimens and diagnostic skeletal observations. The comparatively simple external appea
Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea
Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea
Blue encrusting masses may develop conspicuous chimneys with terminal oscula. Hawaiian samples range from pale to vivid blue, with a soft elastic texture. It occurs on coral branches and sheltered fouling surfaces, including harbor structur
Aplysilla rosea
Aplysilla rosea
Aplysilla rosea is a thin encrusting sponge with small pointed surface elevations, or conules. Published Mediterranean material forms irregular patches and has a branching organic-fibre skeleton rather than the mineral-spicule framework fam
Dysidea arenaria
Dysidea arenaria
Dysidea arenaria is a marine sponge in the family Dysideidae, a group with an organic-fibre framework that can incorporate sediment particles. A species-labelled field reference is available from the Institut de recherche pour le développem
Dysidea avara
Dysidea avara
Dysidea avara is described in Mediterranean taxonomic literature as a soft, irregular sponge with conspicuous conules and an organic-fibre skeleton. Reference images of the accepted taxon can explain that appearance, but Hawaiian use of the
Dorvillea angolana
Dorvillea angolana
Dorvillea angolana is a small marine bristle worm in Dorvilleidae. Day’s 1967 diagnosis describes a pale, slender animal about 10 millimeters long with approximately 80 segments. The rounded head is slightly wider than long and carries two
Leodice antennata
Eunice antennata
A marine jaw worm reported as Eunice antennata in the Kauaʻi survey; beaded head appendages and a changing gill pattern support reference comparison, while local species identity warrants voucher review.
