Iraqi crab ID?

[mjmc]

I know precious little about crabs and thought I'd see if anyone on here knows what species this was. I am part of the Ohio National Guard serving in Baghdad, Iraq. We caught a few of these last night in Baghdad on Camp Victory in a large lake. Any ideas? We couldn't believe there were crabs there. We've been by this lake many times, but this was the first time at night.

 

[syddakyd]

thats cool. so its a real lake as in freshwater???

 

[Noto]

It looks like a member of the freshwater crab genus Potamon, which is found from the Mediterranean coast to Malaysia. I believe Potamon magnum is the most common species in Iraq.

 

[Oddball]

Looks like Elamenopsis kempi that was researched from the Garmat-Ali river around Baswah in southern Iraq.

 

[phillydog1958]

how did they taste?

 

[Noto]

I do not believe Elamenopsis grow so large or venture so far from the sea.