Lophopanopeus bellus (Stimpson, 1860)

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 239

Lophopanopeus bellus (Stimpson, 1860)

( Fig. 56G, Pl. 14C)

Xantho bella Stimpson, 1860: 204 , pl. 5, fig. 2.

Lophopanopeus bellus . — Rathbun 1898b: 272; 1904: 180; 1930: 320, pls. 150, 151. — Weymouth 1910: 51, pl. 12, fig. 37. — Schmitt 1921: 241, p. 37, fig. 4, text fig. 143. — Johnson & Snook 1927: 387, fig. 343. — Ricketts et al. 1985: 305.— Jensen 1995: 19, fig. 7. — Kuris et al. 2007: 643.

Lophopanopeus diegensis Rathbun, 1900: 137 ; 1904: 184, pl. 9, fig. 3; 1930: 327, pl. 153, figs. 6,7, 10; text fig. 49. — Weymouth 1910: 52, pl. 12, fig. 39. — Schmitt 1921: 245, pl. 37, fig. 5, text fig. 146.

Lophopanopeus bellus bellus . — Menzies 1948: 4, pl. 1, figs. 1–5; pl. 5, fig. 38 (extensive synonymy). — Garth & Abbott 1980: 609, fig. 25.2. — Hart 1982: 202, fig. 82.—Campos & de Campos 1989: 175.

Lophopanopeus bellus diegensis . — Menzies 1948: 7, pl. 1, figs. 6–8. — Garth & Abbott 1980: 609. — Hart 1982: 200, fig. 81. — Campos & de Campos 1989: 175.

Diagnosis. Carapace with few granules on anterior regions, front with tiny notch, 3 developed anterolateral teeth, pubescent. Carpus of chelipeds with tubercles or roughened, tubercles continued on palm or not; major chela with enlarged tooth on movable finger. Carpus of pereopods 2–5 slightly to prominently bilobed, carpus, merus pubescent. Male carapace length to 13.7 mm.

Color in life. Bluish, red, yellowish, mottled with red, brown or gray; carapace, appendages may be of contrasting colors. Dark color on fingers of chelae does not extend to palm. The color notes are from crabs from Moss Beach and Pillar Point, San Mateo County, California; see also Garth & Abbott 1980: figs. 25.24a–25.24d.

Habitat and depth. Rocks, under rocks in sand, tide pools, kelp holdfasts, bases of sea grasses, intertidal zone to 73 m.

Range. Resurrection Bay , Alaska to Tortugas Bay, Baja California. Type locality Monterey, California .

Remarks. There are two subspecies of this species. Lophopanopeus bellus bellus is the northern form, ranging from Alaska to Tortugas Bay, Baja California. It is most abundant north of Point Conception, California. In this subspecies, the carpus of the chelipeds may be smooth to roughened, but does not bear irregular raised bumps or tubercles. The carpus of pereopods 2–5 is not markedly bilobed and does not have bumps. Lophopanopeus bellus diegensis ranges from Monterey Bay to off Cape Tortola, Baja California, but usually is found south of Point Conception. The carpus of the chelipeds bears irregular raised bumps. The carpus of pereopods 2–5 is markedly bilobed and has bumps.