Pseudocoutierea elegans Holthuis, 1951

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 57

Pseudocoutierea elegans Holthuis, 1951

( Fig. 13K–O)

Pseudocoutierea elegans Holthuis, 1951: 183 , pl. 57, figs. a–r. — Word & Charwat 1976 b: 171. — Wicksten 1983b: 19; 1989a: 15. — Wicksten & Hernández 2000: 96. — Wicksten & Hendrickx 2003: 62.

Diagnosis. Rostrum reaching or exceeding antennular peduncle, without teeth. Carapace with enlarged supraocular teeth which partially cover eystalk, also antennal tooth, branchiostegal groove. Stylocerite sharp, slender, reaching middle of basal segment of antennular peduncle, which bears anterolateral tooth. Scaphocerite with lateral tooth longer than blade. Pereopod 1 slender, chelate. Pereopod 2 larger than pereopod 1, chelate, unequal in size; larger cheliped bearing 1 tooth in larger specimens, smaller cheliped without tooth, with more elongated fingers. Pereopods 3–5 with hooked dactyls. Abdominal pleura 1, 2 rounded, abdominal pleura 3–6 with sharp posterolateral points. Telson with 2 pairs dorsolateral spines, 3 pairs posterolateral spines. Total length 16 mm.

Color in life. Orange-red.

Habitat and depth. Subtidal rocky substrates, usually with gorgonians, to 92 m.

Range. Santa Catalina I. , California to Punta Sal, Peru and Galapagos Is. Type locality off Santa Catalina I .

Remarks. A specimen from Santa Catalina I. was found with the gorgonian Leptogorgia chilensis , which also is colored orange-red.