Cryptolithodes sitchensis Brandt, 1853

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 166

publication ID	11755334
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5255159
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C5657B52-FF39-B3B6-44D1-FE1FC9990FA8
treatment provided by	Felipe (2021-08-24 08:22:12, last updated by Plazi 2023-11-04 15:45:02)
scientific name	Cryptolithodes sitchensis Brandt, 1853
status

Treatment

Cryptolithodes sitchensis Brandt, 1853 View in CoL

( Fig. 40B, Pl. 6B)

Cryptolithodes sitchensis Brandt, 1853: 254 View in CoL . — Holmes 1900: 125, pl. 2, figs. 21–25. — Schmitt 1921: 155, pl. 20, figs. 3, 4, fig. 100. — Johnson & Snook 1927: 339, fig. 287. — Makarov 1962: 268, figs. 108, 109. — Haig & Abbott 1980: 583, figs. 24.8 a–g. — Hart 1982: 76, fig. 22. — Ricketts et al. 1985: 171, fig. 139. — Odenweller 1972: 240, figs. 1, 2. — Dawson 1989: 317. — Jensen 1995: 71, fig. 138. — Kuris et al. 2007: 648.

Diagnosis. Carapace covering most of body, pereopods, about 1.3 times as wide and long, with lateral extensions almost as long as rostrum, with dorsal tubercles, low teeth along lateral margins. Rostrum widened distally, usually ending in distinct anterolateral angles, sometimes with small median tooth. Chelipeds smooth, unequal. Pereopods 2–4 smooth, flat. Abdomen flat, triangular. Carapace length to 68 mm.

Color in life. Orange, mottled, ivory, red, pink with red spots; see color photographs by Haig & Abbott (1980: figs. 24.8 a–g).

Habitat and depth. Rocky reefs and tide pools, lowest intertidal zone to 17 m.

Range. Sitka, Alaska to Point Loma, California. Type locality Sitka, Alaska. This crab is uncommon south of Point Conception .

Remarks. These little crabs sometimes bear injuries around the rim of the carapace. At times, two or more of these crabs will grip each other by the rim of the carapace. Whether this activity constitutes mating behavior or aggression is unknown.

References

Brandt, J. F. (1853) Uber eine neue Art der Gattung Cryptolithodes (Cryptolithodes sitchensis). Bulletin de la Classe Physico - mathematique de l ' Academie Imperiale des Sciences de Saint - Petersbourg, 11 (15 - 16), 653 - 654.

Dawson, E. (1989) King crabs of the world (Crustacea: Lithodidae) and their fisheries. A comprehensive bibliography. New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Miscellaneous Publication, 101, 1 - 338.

Haig, J. & Abbott, D. (1980) Macrura and Anomura: the ghost shrimps, hermit crabs, and allies. In: Morris, R., Abbott, D. & E. Haderlie, E. (Eds.) Intertidal Invertebrates of California. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, pp. 577 - 593.

Hart, J. F. L. (1982) Crabs and their Relatives of British Columbia. British Columbia Provincial Museum Handbook 40, Victoria, 267 pp.

Holmes, S. J. (1900) Synopsis of California stalk-eyed Crustacea. Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, 7, 12 - 62.

Jensen, G. C. (1995) Pacific Coast Crabs and Shrimps. Sea Challengers, Monterey, California, 87 pp.

Johnson, M. E. & Snook, H. J. (1927) Seashore Animals of the Pacific Coast. Dover Publications, New York, reprint 1967, 659 pp.

Kuris, A. M., Sadeghian, P. & Carlton, J. T. (2007) Keys to Decapod Crustacea. In: Carlton, J. T. (Ed.) The Light and Smith Manual: Intertidal Invertebrates Central California to Oregon. University of California Press, Berkeley, 4 th ed., pp. 636 - 656.

Makarov, V. V. (1962) Fauna of the U. S. S. R. Crustacea. Volume X, no. 3. Anomura. National Science Foundation, Washington, D. C. 283 pp.

Odenweller, D. B. (1972) A new range record for the umbrella crab, Cryptolithodes sitchensis Brandt. California Fish & Game, 58, 240 - 243.

Ricketts, E. F., Calvin, J., Hedgpeth, J. W. & Phillips, D. W. (1985) Between Pacific Tides. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 5 th ed., 652 pp.

Schmitt, W. L. (1921) The marine decapod Crustacea of California. University of California Publications in Zoology, 23, 1 - 470.