Glebocarcinus oregonensis

Glebocarcinus oregonensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Cancridae
Genus: Glebocarcinus
Species: G. oregonensis
Binomial name
Glebocarcinus oregonensis
(Dana, 1852) [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Trichocera oregonensis Dana, 1852
  • Platycarcinus recurvidens Bate, 1864
  • Trichocarcinus walkeri Holmes, 1900
  • Lophopanopeus somaterianus Rathbun, 1930

Glebocarcinus oregonensis, commonly known as the pygmy rock crab, is a species of crab found on the Pacific coast of North America.

Description

It is usually red/brown but this may vary; their legs have many setae (hairs). The carapace reaches a width of about 5 centimetres (2 in), and is widest at the 7th or 8th lateral tooth.[2] The chelipeds are black at the tip, and the dactylus of the cheliped has no spiny ridges; the dorsal surface is covered with small tubercles (rounded projections), and males have larger chelipeds than females.[3]

Ecology

G. oregonensis is found mostly in crevices, holes (dead barnacles) and under rocks.[3] They can live in depths of up to 1,400 feet (430 m).[2] They are nocturnal feeders, feeding mostly on small barnacles, snails, bivalves, worms, green algae and Pacific oysters.[3] Predators include Pacific cod, river otters and red rock crab.[3]

Breeding occurs during the summer, and the Puget Sound females carry eggs from November to May.[3] It is not unusual to find harems consisting of 1 male with as many as 7 females.[3] Males may carry females that are molting and continue them until their new shell hardens, for mating occurs after females molt.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Peter K. L. Ng, Danièle Guinot & Peter J. F. Davie (2008). "Systema Brachyurorum: Part I. An annotated checklist of extant Brachyuran crabs of the world". Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 17: 1–286.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mary Jo Adams (December 5, 2005). "Cancer oregonensis (Pygmy rock crab)". Intertidal Organisms EZ-ID Guides. Washington State University Extension - Island County. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Dave Cowles (2005). "Glebocarcinus oregonensis (Dana), Schweitzer and Feldmann, 2000)". Walla Walla University. Retrieved February 3, 2010.

Further reading