E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Wildlife of British Columbia

Carapace roughly quadrilateral, surface smooth with two large teeth on each lateral margin and with small preocular and post-ocular spines. Rostrum bifid with concave inner margins and hooked setae on dorsal surface of base and a few patches of small stubby setae. Hand smooth and palm slightly swollen; cutting teeth without any gape in female and immature male. In adult male, cheliped large and palm swollen with some gape between teeth. Walking legs subcylindrical, stout, and with strong curved claws with spines on ventral margins.

Carapace: male 107 x 93 mm, female 92 x 78 mm.

Carapace and dorsal surface of chelipeds and walking legs mainly kelp brown. Ventrally, chelipeds with some dark red on merus and palm with fingers red and scarlet with yellowish teeth. Walking legs with some dark red and yellow ventrally; dactyls greenish-brown and light brown; claws dark brown. Abdomen, with patches of deep yellow and light brown on sternum and outer maxillipeds; epistome brown with teeth and ridges red, scarlet or yellow, varying amount of dark red ventrally. Young kelp crabs are brown without the bright colours of adults.