Metacrangon spinosissima (Rathbun, 1902)

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 116-117

Metacrangon spinosissima (Rathbun, 1902)

( Fig. 28N, O)

Crangon spinosissima Rathbun, 1902a: 891 ; 1904: 130, fig. 70. — Word & Charwat 1976: 89.

Crago spinosissima . — Schmitt 1921: 100, fig. 69.

Metacrangon spinosissima . — Zarenkov 1965: 1764. — Butler 1980: 115.

Diagnosis. Exoskeleton thick. Rostrum shorter than eye, with acute or rounded apex. Carapace with anterior median tooth larger than posterior, joined to it by median carina, submedial, subhepatic spines with supporting carinae; strong antennal, branchiostegal teeth, weak pterygostomian spine. Eye small, pigmented. Antennular peduncle with first segment longest, first, second segments with distolateral teeth. Scaphocerite with blade longer than lateral tooth, basicerite with 2 blunt lateral teeth. Third maxilliped setose, with exopod. Pereopod 1 without teeth on merus or carpus, dactyl when flexed obliquely transverse. Pereopod 2 slender, chelate. Pereopod 3 slender, with simple dactyl. Pereopods 4, 5 stout, setose, with flattened dactyls. Abdominal somites 1–5 with 1–2 ventral teeth on pleura, somites 1–5 with median dorsal carina (may be faint), somite 6 with 2 dorsal carinae, posteroventral regions strongly flared. Telson with dorsal median groove, 2 pairs dorsolateral spines; shorter than inner uropod. Male total length 30 mm, female 54 mm.

Color in life. Buff with brownish patches, mottling, bars ( Butler 1980: color plate 1B).

Habitat and depth. Continental shelf, 28–220 m.

Range. Nootka Sound, British Columbia to San Martin I., Baja California. Type locality off Point Arena , California .