Pagurus beringanus (Benedict, 1892)

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 184

Pagurus beringanus (Benedict, 1892)

( Fig. 42G)

Eupagurus beringanus Benedict, 1892a: 17 .

Pagurus beringanus . — Rathbun 1904: 159, pl. 5, fig. 5. — Schmitt 1921: 135, fig. 8. — Makarov 1962: 176, pl. 5, fig. 4. — McLaughlin 1974: 139, figs. 35, 36. — Haig & Abbott 1980: 586. — Hart 1982: 140, fig. 52. — Ricketts et al. 1985: 289. — Jensen 1995: 65, fig. 122. — Lemaitre & Castaño 2004: 7. — Kuris et al. 2007: 649.

Diagnosis. Rostrum triangular but blunt, slightly longer than lateral projections of carapace. Eyestalks moderately stout, cornea not dilated, ocular scale pointed. Major cheliped stout, shorter than pereopods 2, 3; merus with upper surface convex, with large marginal teeth, 2 large ventral knobs, carpus convex, with rows of granules, spines; hand convex, with many granules, spines, serrate margins, fingers short. Minor cheliped smaller, merus laterally compressed, with spinules and granules. Pereopods 2, 3 stout, setose; merus laterally compressed, carpi with serrate margins, propodus of first leg serrate, dactyls about as long as propodi and stout. Telson asymmetrical, with lateral notches, deep terminal notch, terminal margin with teeth. Uropods asymmetrical. Carapace length to 26 mm.

Color in life. Chelipeds reddish, carpus with bright band at distal end. Pereopods 2, 3 gray to white, with red distal bands on propodus, dactyl; spines reddish. Cornea of eye black with gold or silver. semicircle. Antennal flagellum translucent with red lateral mark. Hart (1982: 140) gave a more extensive description of the living color.

Habitat and depth. Protected intertidal areas to rocky subtidal zones, lowest intertidal zone to 364 m. Usually in subtidal areas in California .

Range. Bering Sea and Aleutian Is. to Monterey , California but rarely found south of Point Arena , California . Type locality Bristol Bay, Alaska .

Remarks. This hermit crab often inhabits shells of Nucella lamellosa (Gmelin, 1791) ; Ceratostoma foliatum (Gmelin, 1791) ; and Fusitriton oregonensis .