The propodus of the claw is slightly curved and has a number of elongate spines on its heel, and both males and females have hairy legs.

The female is distinguishable by the swollen femurs of the walking legs, and the male is notable for the high number of cement gland ducts present, which is usually more than ten.

Its range extends from the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa to India, Malaysia, southern China and Japan.

Stimulated by the male's courtship activities, the two largest eggs in each ovary work their way along the inside of each leg, emerging from a gonopore on the coxa after about three minutes.

At this stage, the male and female realign so that their ventral surfaces are together, and fertilisation takes place.