Spirontocaris sica Rathbun, 1902

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 93-95

Spirontocaris sica Rathbun, 1902

( Fig. 23D)

Spirontocaris sica Rathbun, 1902a: 894 ; 1904: 69, fig. 25. — Schmitt 1921: 55, fig. 32. — Holthuis 1947: 8. — Kozloff 1974: 166. — Word & Charwat 1976: 155. — Hayashi 1977: 158. — Butler 1980: 167. — Wicksten 1980c: 363; 1987: 54; 1989b: 313; 1990b: 590. — Chace 1997: 57.

Diagnosis. Very similar to S. holmesi except rostrum with shorter ascending apical styliform region, without subapical ventral tooth; 9–15 dorsal, 3–8 ventral teeth, 2 closely spaced teeth on dorsal surface of carapace proper. Pereopods 3–5 long, slender, with long, simple dactyls, about 0.3–0.4 times length of propodi. Merus of pereopod 3, with 5–9 spines; pereopod 4, with 5–8 spines; pereopod 5, with 3–7 spines. Telson narrow, with 4 pairs dorsolateral spines, acute apex. Male total length 42 mm, female to 65 mm.

Color in life. Background milkish to dull yellow, marked by red dots, bands, blotches ( Butler 1980).

Habitat and depth. Benthic , 88–849 m ( Butler 1980) . Most specimens from California were taken on rock, mud or gravel, 150-550 m.

Range. Restoration Bay , Burke Channel, British Columbia to between San Benito Is. and Cedros Is., Baja

California , Mexico. Type locality Santa Barbara Channel, California .