Sicyonidae Ortmann, 1898

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 25

Family Sicyonidae Ortmann, 1898

Sometimes called rock shrimps, members of this family usually have a well-calcified exoskeleton. The dorsal midline of the carapace and abdomen bear a carina, often with prominent teeth. The rostrum is conspicuous. In life, these shrimps bury into sand or shelly sand. They are edible, and are fished commercially in many warm-temperate areas worldwide.

The only species of this family resident in the area is Sicyonia ingentis . Two other species have been collected in southern California during El Niño periods. Sicyonia penicillata Lockington, 1879 has been collected from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to off Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego County ( Montagne & Cadien 2001, fig. 1.) This species has a large dark spot on the branchial region of the carapace. Divers have photographed occasional individuals of S. picta Faxon, 1893 off Santa Catalina I. , California. This species has a large eye-like marking on the posterolateral part of the carapace. Unlike S. penicillata , S. picta has no tooth on the dorsal midpoint of the carapace. See Hendrickx (1996: figs. 56, 58) for illustrations. Both of these species usually range from the Gulf of California and the southern end of Baja California, Mexico southward.