Carapace surface more convex than Cancer magister and finely granulated; front with 5 teeth, the central smallest; has sharp antero-lateral teeth and one small postero-lateral tooth on margins. Pterygostomian area pubescent. Chelipeds with marginal pointed projections, two blunt teeth on dorsal ridge and fingers subequal, with small teeth on dorsal finger and both fingers light coloured. Walking legs slender; dactyls cylindrical; claw sharp.
SizeCarapace: male 65 x 115, female 60 x 87 mm.
ColourCarapace light purplish or red-brown with some cream-coloured granules; margins outlined with cream except posteriorly where they are beaded with purplish-brown. Cheliped: ischium white; merus with orange and brown spots; carpus and palm with outer face whitish with purple and inner faces violet; fingers white with purple-brown, violet and orange. Walking legs white with red-brown and violet streaks; claw orange. Eyestalk white with purple brown streak; cornea white with black crescent.