Carapace: shield slightly longer than wide in large individuals and subequal in small. Eyestalk long and slender; cornea slightly dilated. Right cheliped long, slender and subequal or slightly shorter than walking legs, surfaces with short setae and numerous small spines; merus with tufts of short setae and a few spines; carpus elongate with subparallel margins, inner margin with several rows of large, corneous-tipped spines, outer margin with small spines but not in clearly defined rows; palm slender with inner margin relatively straight, outer curved and both armed with strong corneous-tipped spines, dorsal surface with numerous spines and an elongated inverted V-shaped spiny ridge medially; fingers with broad flat teeth and short, corneous, rasping type setae. Left cheliped long and slender; carpus with 2 rows of spines mid-dorsally; palm with a row of spines which alternate in direction of tips and which reaches to middle of fixed finger, cutting surface of finger with comb of rasping type of setae. 1st and 2nd walking legs long and slender, laterally compressed, with tufts of short stiff setae, ventral margin of meri and dorsal margin of carpi of 1st legs serrate; dactyls with claws long and sharp.
Size
Shield length: male 11 mm.
Colour
Carapace: shield and posterior part white with red and tan reticulations; lateral areas yellow. Abdomen also white with red and tan reticulations. Chelipeds pinkish brown with dark red spines and scattered small red dots; fingers pink. Walking legs red-brown with light area and scattered red dots; propodus with dark stripe dorsally and ventrally; dactyl with proximal red-brown band and red or orange stripes dorsally, ventrally and mid-laterally with interrupted rows of small red spots on upper, outer face. Eyestalk pale orange with interrupted red stripes; cornea black with flecks of green and yellow. Antennal flagellum red, translucent.
Habitat
Mud, sand or gravel bottom; often occupy shell covered with living sponge, Suberites ficus, which ultimately dissolves the calcium carbonate of the shell. But the cavity is retained and increases in size with the growth of the crab.
Distribution
Range
Akun Bay, Akun Island, Bering Sea, to Puget Sound, Washington; 13 to 198 m.
Distribution In British Columbia
Widespread but uncommon except for juveniles which are sometimes found in swarms in June and July.
Recommended citation: Author, Date. Page title. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2021. E-Fauna BC:
Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia [efauna.bc.ca]. Lab
for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver. [Accessed:
2025-03-21 7:07:27 PM]
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