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Pagurus quaylei Hart, 1971
Quayle's Hermit Crab
Family: Paguridae

Species account author: Josephine Hart.
Extracted from Crabs and their relatives of British Columbia.

Photograph

© Aaron Baldwin     (Photo ID #2157)

Map

E-Fauna BC Static Map

Distribution of Pagurus quaylei in British Columbia in British Columbia

Species Information

Carapace: shield subequal in length and width. Eyestalk elongate; cornea slightly dilated; eyescale with 1 to 5 sharp-pointed marginal teeth. Right cheliped stout and shorter than walking legs, setose; merus with 1 or more large knobs ventrally; carpus with small spines dorsally and larger spines on inner distal margin; hand somewhat convex with numerous sharp spines in irregular rows, longitudinally, and largest spines on mid-dorsal palm; fingers short. Left cheliped, long and slender, setose and spinulose; long fingers with combs of short corneous setae on cutting surface, gaping and touching only at tips. 1st and 2nd walking legs long and slender with dense tufts of long setae, 1st legs with serrate margins dorsally on carpi and propodi; dactyls elongate; claws slender, curved. Dactyl of left 2nd leg may be armed with numerous spines and tubercles.

Size

Shield length: male 4.3 mm.

Colour

Carapace: shield dark red and brown, with yellow and pink reticulations medially; laterally dark brown with light spots; posteriorly pinkish brown with light blue spots. Right cheliped: ischium with patches of brown; merus dark brown with light spots and a white or pale brown band distally; carpus mottled grey or greenish-brown with grey spots and spines; palm greenish-brown with grey and white spines; fingers mainly white. Left cheliped similar except that distal part of carpus is white and there is some grey-blue on distal part of hand. Walking legs: ischium with a few patches of brown; merus with a band of red-brown, grey and, distally, pinkish white; carpus grey to white with irregular red-brown stripes on outer surface; propodus grey with 4 red-brown stripes on outer face, 1 on inner face and a yellowish white band distally; dactyl with dark grey patch proximally, a short red-brown stripe dorsally and a thin red stripe on each lateral face; claw brown. Eyestalk pale brown with red, brown and white dots; cornea black overlaid with silver except for 2 circular bands. Antennal flagellum translucent but irregularly banded with dark brown. Opaque white dots can be seen on living translucent sections.

Habitat


Gravel or sand in shallow water.

Distribution

Range

Point Cuerbo, San Fernando Island, Alaska (55°29’N, 130°19’W), to San Quentin Bay, Baja California, Mexico; intertidal to 97 m.
Distribution In British Columbia

Outer coast.

Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)
COSEWIC
UnlistedUnlistedUnlistedUnlisted



BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.

General References