Lithodidae, Samouelle, 1819

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 165-166

Key to Species of family Lithodidae

1. Carapace broadly oval, convex and smooth, completely concealing pereopods from dorsal view....................... 2

– Carapace not broadly oval, usually rough, not completely concealing pereopods from dorsal view..................... 3

2. Chelae tuberculate. Rostrum narrowing distally, end rounded................................. Cryptolithodes typicus

– Chelae smooth. Rostrum widened toward transverse distal end .............................. Cryptolithodes sitchensis

3. Carapace with two deep pits within triangular excavated area, surrounded by rounded papillated tubercles. Abdominal plates with central membranous area......................................................... Phyllolithodes papillosus

– Carapace without deep pits, papillated tubercles. Abdominal plates without central membranous area.................. 4

4. Carapace with outline of an equilateral triangle, with deep fossa separating cardiac region from other regions of carapace................................................................................. Rhinolithodes wosnessenskii

– Carapace with outline more rounded, without deep fossa separating cardiac region from other regions of carapace......... 5

5. Pereopods 2–4 shorter than greatest width of carapace. Outline of carapace roughly pentagonal or hexagonal, convex, with short tubercles....................................................................................... 6

– Pereopods 2–4 longer than greatest width of carapace. Outline of carapace broadly pear-shaped....................... 8

6. Without wart-like prominence on each side of median gastric area. Pereopods 2–4 spinose. Not found north of Los Angeles County, California ............................................................... Glypholithodes cristatipes

– With wart-like prominence on each side of median gastric area. Pereopods 2–4 tuberculate. Usually found north of Los Angeles County, California .................................................................................. 7

7. Tubercles of chelipeds, pereopods 2–4 spiniform, carpus of chelipeds with outer edge excavated, forming deep rounded sinus............................................................................... Lopholithodes foraminatus

– Tubercles of chelipeds, pereopods 2–4 rounded, blunt; carpus of chelipeds without deep, rounded sinus on outer edge.......................................................................................... Lopholithodes mandti

8. Abdomen mostly leathery. Carapace with tubercles or short spines............................................. 9

– Abdomen well calcified. Carapace often with long spines................................................... 10

9. Carapace spiny. Pereopods 2–4 legs angular............................................... Paralomis multispina

– Carapace with tubercles. Pereopods 2–4 much compressed..................................... Paralomis verrilli

10. Plates of second abdominal segment more or less fused........................................... Lithodes couesi

– Plates of second abdominal segment distinct............................................................... 11

11. Rostrum bifid, anterior lateral spines of rostrum reaching to apex of bifurcation of rostrum.......... Paralithodes rathbuni

– Rostrum simply bifid or split, anterior lateral spines of rostrum not reaching half way to bases of terminal spines.......................................................................................... Paralithodes californiensis