Petrolisthes rathbunae Schmitt, 1921

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 159

Petrolisthes rathbunae Schmitt, 1921

( Fig. 37E)

Petrolisthes rathbunae Schmitt, 1921: 181 , pl. 32, fig. 3. — Haig 1960: 72, pl. 26, fig. 2. — Haig & Abbott 1980: 587, fig. 24.14. — Campos & de Campos 1989: 174. — Jensen 1995: 76, fig. 152. — Kuris et al. 2007: 648.

Diagnosis. Front triangular, with deep median sulcus. Carapace about as long as wide, with short, transverse striations. Chelipeds equal, lightly pubescent. Merus rugose, with strongly projecting lobe on anterior margin. Carpus about 2.5 times as long as wide, margins subparallel, covered with flattened granules. Chela granular, inner margin with large flattened granules; dactyl with longitudinal median crest composed of tubercles; gape with thick pubescence. Pereopods 2–4 with short rugae, long setae. Carapace length to 17 mm.

Color in life. Carapace with dotted stripes of dark purple on ground of greenish dark olive. Chelae brown, becoming lighter distally. Merus of pereopods 2–4 buff dotted with maroon. Carpus, propodus dark brown banded with orange red. Dactyls scarlet. Ventral side mostly red orange ( Haig 1960).

Habitat and depth. Under stones or in rock piles, lower intertidal to subtidal zones.

Range. Monterey, California to Tortugas Bay, Mexico. Type locality San Clemente I., California. Most specimens have been taken south of Point Conception , California .

Remarks. There are few records of this porcelain crab. It is difficult to collect because of the speed with which it retreats into cracks between rocks in rubble piles.