Moloha faxoni ( Schmitt, 1921 )

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 202

Moloha faxoni ( Schmitt, 1921)

( Fig. 47A)

Homola faxoni Schmitt, 1921: 184 , pl. 31, fig. 7.

Paromola faxoni . — Rathbun 1937: 68, pl. 18, pl. 19, fig. 1. — Guinot & Richer de Forges 1981: 536. — Wicksten 1985: 476. — Kuck & Martin 1994: 177, figs. 1–4.

Mohola faxoni .— Guinot & Richer de Forges 1995: 383, fig. 33 c, d, g, h. — Hendrickx 1997: 33, fig. 41.

Diagnosis (after Kuck & Martin 1994). Carapace some what square, longer than broad, with short pubescence; short spiniform rostrum present, stout supraorbital spines with small hooked spines on upper surfaces, smaller spines posterior to supraorbital spines in line with their base, spines on hepatic, gastric, branchial regions; tubercles on much of carapace. Distinct pair of suture lines (linea homolica) on carapace. Antennal flagellum relatively long. Eye exposed, without orbit. Third maxillipeds slender, not covering oral field. Chelipeds long, slender, setose; fingers with dark apices. Pereopods 2–4 slender, with sharp spine on dorsal margin of merus, dactyl long, slender. Pereopod 5 subdorsal, shorter than preceding pereopods, with curved dactyl folding against spiny propodus. Basal segments of abdomen armed with sharp median tubercle apiece. Female genital openings coxal. Male carapace length to 83.3 mm, female to 59.3 mm.

Color in life. Brown, golden brown or brick red. The color notes are from crabs collected off southern California.

Habitat and depth. Continental shelf, 18–460 m.

Range. Tajiguas, Santa Barbara County, California to Cedros I., Baja California ; San Jose I., Gulf of California. Type locality off Point Loma , California .

Remarks. The crab may carry a piece of gorgonian or sponge in its fifth pereopods ( Wicksten 1985).