E-Fauna BC Home

Romaleon branneri (Rathbun, 1926)
Furrowed Rock Crab
Family: Cancridae

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

Photograph

© Aaron Baldwin     (Photo ID #2111)

Map

E-Fauna BC Static Map

Distribution of Romaleon branneri in British Columbia in British Columbia

Species Information

Carapace with granular surface, setose and uneven; antero-lateral margin cut into pointed teeth and postero-lateral with one tooth; margins meet at a distinct angle. Chelipeds setose covering rows of sharp spines; finger tips dark coloured. Walking legs setose; dactyl long and slender.

Size

Carapace: male 49 x 58 mm, female 35 x 52 mm.

Colour

Considerable variation. Carapace yellow, tan, dark red, violet, grey, black and opaque white with varying combinations and symmetrical patterns. Chelipeds white and tan with red bands; palm yellowish and orange with violet spines; fingers white and brown with distal half black. Walking leg: meri white with two orange bands; the rest mostly red and lighter areas; claws yellow. Ventrally white.

Habitat


Mud, sand, gravel or shell bottoms.

Distribution

Range

Granite Cove, Port Althorp, Alaska, to Santa Catalina Islands, California; intertidal to 179 m.
Distribution In British Columbia

Common on outer coasts subtidally.

Comments


Rathbun (1926) found C. gibbosulus from Japan to be distinct from those of North America, which are C. branneri.

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.

Additional Notes

This species is known as the furrowed rock crab.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Cancer branneri Rathbun, 1926

General References