Cancer anthonyi
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 Exuvia of Cancer anthonyi
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| Cancer anthonyi Rathbun, 1897 |
Cancer anthonyi, the yellow rock crab or yellow crab, is a littoral crab native to the Pacific coast of North America from Humboldt Bay in Northern California to Magdalena Bay, Baja California. The habitat of C. anthonyi extends from the low intertidal zone to a subtidal depth of 140 m. Generally, juvenile C. anthonyi remain at depths less than 33 m. Compared to other California Cancer species, C. anthonyi is most often caught in southern California, comprising 70-95% of crab catches in 1986. The yellow rock crab like other crustaceans molt 10-12 times before reaching sexual maturity. C. anthonyi can exceed 7 inches in carapace width. C. anthonyi usually mates around spring time after females have molted their carapace.
[edit] Ecological role
C. anthonyi is an ecologically important species. It is prey for many fish including the scorpion fish, barred sand bass and other rock fishes. C. anthonyi is also prey for sea otters, a threatened species. C. anthonyi is both a scavenger and a predator eating anything that the large claws can crush including echinoderms, snails and clams.
[edit] Morphology
C. anthonyi has an oval carapace which is fairly broad which is widest at the 9th of 10 anterolateral teeth. Its carapace teeth tend to curve forward. Like other California Cancer crab, C. anthonyi has black-tipped claws. C. anthonyi can be distinguished from the closely related Cancer antennarius by its lack of red spotting on its underside. C. anthonyi also tends not to decorate itself and tends not have hairy legs. It can vary in coloration from yellow to brown with the juvenile crabs tending to be darker than adults.
