Pugettia venetiae Rathbun, 1924

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 212

Pugettia venetiae Rathbun, 1924

( Fig. 49D, E)

Pugettia venetiae Rathbun, 1924: 2 ; 1925: 180, pl. 59, figs. 57, text figs. 68, 69. — Garth 1958: 204, pl. L, fig. 5, pl. 21, fig. 2. — Hendrickx 1999: 113, fig. 66.

Diagnosis. Rostral horns long, acute, divergent. Carapace tuberculate, spinous; with 4 gastric, 2 lateral, one cardiac, 3 intestinal, 4 or 5 branchial tubercles, one branchial, 2 hepatic lateral spines. Postorbital spine slender. Supraocular eave less expanded over eye than in related species. Preorbital spine large, directed forward, antennal spine visible in front of it. Basal antennal article having antero-external spine, 2 smaller spines. Male chelipeds about as long as carapace, ischium with spine on inner margin, merus with spines on inner, upper, outer margins; carpus with 2 spines on inner margin, 4 on outer margins, palm with spinules on upper surface, fingers narrow, deflexed, toothed, narrow gape at base. Female cheliped shorter, similar, fingers not gaping. Pereopods 2–5 subcylindrical, dactyls with two rows sharp spinules. Much of dorsal surface of both sexes setose. Male carapace length 16.2 mm, width 10.7 mm; female length 23.9 mm, width 17.3 mm.

Color in life. Rostrum, frontal region, chelae dull orange. Carapace gray-tawny brown with white, lavender marks. Fingers of chela purple-brown at base, becoming orange-red, fading to white at apices. Pereopods 2–5 brownish orange, banded. Ventral surface dull lilac on abdomen, orange on front ( Garth 1958).

Habitat and depth. Sand, shell, rock, 9–120 m, usually at 90 m or less.

Range. San Miguel I., California to Magdalena Bay, Baja California. Type locality off Newport Beach, California.

Remarks. Specimens of P. venetiae are unusual for spider crabs in being relatively clean of attached material.