Pleuroncodes planipes Stimpson, 1860

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 147-149

Pleuroncodes planipes Stimpson, 1860

( Fig. 34B, Pl.7 B)

Pleuroncodes planipes Stimpson, 1860: 245 . — Holmes 1900: 112. — Schmitt 1921: 163, pl. 31, fig. 2. — Haig et al. 1970: 22. — Blackburn 1977: 178. — Jensen 1995: 74, fig. 146. — Hendrickx & Harvey 1998: 377. — Kuris et al. 2007: 647. — Macpherson et al. 2010: 234.

Diagnosis. Rostrum long, slender, flanked by two spine-like supraorbital teeth. Eye large, globular, pigmented. Carapace transversely rugose, with latero-inferior regions swollen; spine at anterolateral angle with few spines on lateral margin. Abdomen dorsally unarmed. Chelipeds, pereopods 2–4 flattened, edged with setae. Carapace length to 50 mm.

Color in life. Red, setae golden. The color notes are from craylets from Santa Catalina I.

Habitat and depth. Existing as both a swimming and benthic phase, surface to 90 m.

Range. San Francisco, California to the Gulf of California and Central America. Southern range limit not defined; has been taken in Costa Rica (J. Haig, pers. comm.) Type localities "Pacific Ocean, 24˚N, 130˚W and Monterey, California.”

Remarks. Fishermen call this species the "pelagic red crab" or "tuna crab.” Usually, it occurs off the coast of Baja California, Mexico but can be carried northward during years of warm currents. The crabs may be stranded in tide pools and on the beach. Numerous pelagic fishes, dolphins and the humpback whale eat these crabs. Hendrickx & Harvey (1998) provided an extensive list of references.