Lithodoidea Samouelle 1819

found in Monterey Bay Canyon

Photographed at 20 m. depth. The species is well camouflaged and often difficult to detect. Its carapace completely covers the legs.

shrimp looks like Parapandalus; crab is a lithodid

Several more views of the species. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2000. Captured subtidally at Sares Head.

This closeup of the head shows the pointed rostrum and the pattern of wide brown and narrower translucent bands on the antennae.

Brown Box Crab - Lithodes Foramenutus  Photographed on site at The Field Museum, Chigaco, for the Encyclopedia of Life project. Thanks to Alta Buden for making it all happen and to Jochen Cerber for allowing access to the crustacea specimensPhotosynthImages collection

Phyllolithodea papillosus often takes refuge under the crimson anemone Cribrinopsis fernaldi. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2008

This view of the undrside of the right chela shows the orange coloration with white teeth. Note the underside of the chela is almost smooth while the upper side has spines and setae.

This view of the face shows the red eyes, the flattened scales, and the blunt dorsal and ventral lobes on the rostrum.

This view of the underside shows the soft abdomen which is not held tightly against the underside of the thorax.

As in many Lithodid crabs, the abdomen is broad and sculptured. The abdominal plates are softer in the middle. Note also the long bristly setae on the chelae.

A small Hapalogaster mertensii found near Rosario. Carapace about 1.5 cm wide. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2011 )

Phyllolithodes papillosus subtidal from Sares Head. About 5 cm carapace width. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2000)

Lopholithodes mandtii, about 15 cm across carapace. Caught by SCUBA off Sares Head Photo by Dave Cowles

This view of the dorsal carapace shows the numerous spines both on the carapace (with larger spines around the margins) and on the legs and abdomen.