Romaleon branneri (Rathbun, 1926)

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 233

Romaleon branneri (Rathbun, 1926)

( Fig. 54B)

Cancer branneri Rathbun, 1926: 63 ; 1930: 211, pl. 93, fig. 1 (extensive synonymy). — Nations 1975: 33, figs. 15E, F, 16E, F, 31-1, 31-2. — Word & Charwat 1975: 46.— Garth & Abbott 1980: 605. — Hart 1982: 208, fig. 85. — Jensen 1995: 29, fig. 37. — Kuris et al. 2007: 641.

Cancer gibbosulus . — Rathbun 1904: 176. — Weymouth 1910: 43, pl. 10, fig. 29. — Schmitt 1921, pl. 36, fig. 7. — Johnson & Snook 1927: 378. [Not Cancer gibbosulus (De Hann, 1835) ; east Asian species].

Romaleon branneri . — Schweitzer & Feldmann 2000: 243.

Diagnosis. Carapace markedly areolated, sparsely setose with coarse setae. Front with 5 acute teeth, anterolateral margin with 9 forward-curving teeth, all but first 2 teeth tipped with spines; tenth, eleventh teeth present. Merus of third maxillipeds abruptly truncated. Chelipeds setose, carpus with 2 teeth, one above at distal end, second below it at inner angle; upper surface of hand with 2 rows of 3–5 spines; outer surface of hand with 5 ridges marked with setae, small spines; upper margin of movable finger spinous. Pereopods 2–5 setose; dactyls somewhat long, straight, tipped with spines. Male carapace length to 35.5 mm.

Color in life. Variable: carapace whitish with irregular reddish blotches to dark reddish brown, fingers of chelae dark, pereopods 2–5 light-colored, banded with red. The color notes are from crabs from Redondo Beach, California.

Habitat and depth. On sandy mud, coarse sand or shells, intertidal zone to 80 m.

Range. Port Althorp , Alaska to Cedros I., Baja California, Mexico. Type locality San Francisco, California .

Remarks. This small crab is very abundant at Redondo Beach, California.