This species is distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following characteristics:
-the presence of finely serrated spines on the 4th and 5th endites of Mx2
-the presence of 5 setae on inner lobe 2 of Mx1 (X. penicillatus Tanaka, 1960 has also 5 setae, the majority of the Xanthocalanus species have 4 setae)
-the smaller number of setae (4) on the 1st endite of Mx2 (5 setae are typical for other species of Xanthocalanus.
Arctic (Laptev Sea)
Oceanic, abyssopelagic species
Female: Abdomen 3.8 times shorter than the cephalothorax.
Inner lobe 2 of Mx1 with 5 setae (2 small thin and 3 long), inner lobe 3 with 4 setae, basis with 5 setae near the base of endopod, endopod with 8, exopod with 10, outer lobe with 9 setae.
Male: unknown
