Leach, 1817
Description:
Carapace slightly longer than broad with flat, grading to bead-like tubercles; margin of frontal region concave, often with faint median suture; inner epibranchial and mesobranchial regions with low bosses, often capped with tubercles. Antero-lateral margins of carapace sinuous and moderately cristate merging with postero-lateral margins to form continuous curve. Third maxilliped narrowing anteriorly. Chelipeds equal in size, stout and moderately tuberculate, margin of merus tuberculate; pereiopods granular, sometimes with small, rarely spiniform, tubercles. Female chelipeds shorter than in male; abdominal segments 4-6 fused. Male chelipeds with propodus inflated, posterior margin of carapace often strongly bifid; abdominal segments 3-5 fused; distal portion of first pleopod thin, apex truncate ; inner margin of second pleopod strongly expanded.
Size:
Carapace length up to 8 (11) mm.
Habitat:
Depth range from 7 to 82 metres, muddy sand and gravel. Ovigerous in spring, larvae July-November.
Colour:
Variable, carapace reddish-yellow to reddish-white with red spots, pereiopods yellowish.
Distribution:
Moray Firth, Aberdeen, Firth of Forth, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Thames, Channel Isles, Plymouth, Scilly Isles, Bristol Channel, Anglesey, Liverpool Bay, Isle of Man, Dublin, Belfast, Clyde & Argyll, Minch, Galway Bay, Fastnet, Cork. |
