Heptacarpus decorus (Rathbun, 1902)

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 81

Heptacarpus decorus (Rathbun, 1902)

( Fig. 20D)

Spirontocaris decora Rathbun, 1902a: 896 ; 1904: 79, fig. 33. — Schmitt 1921: 61, fig. 38.

Heptacarpus decorus . — Holthuis 1947: 12. — Kozloff 1974: 167. — Word & Charwat 1976 b: 113. — Butler 1980: 214, pl. 7C. — Standing 1981: 779. — Wicksten 1990b: 594. — Chace 1997: 44.

Diagnosis. Rostrum exceeding antennular peduncle, with 4 or 5 dorsal, 4–8 ventral teeth. Second, third segments of antennular peduncle with spine each, stylocerite reaching at most to end of first segment. Third maxilliped with epipod. Pereopods without epipods. Pereopod 1 with particularly stout chela. Pereopods 3–5 slender, with spinose dactyls. Merus of pereopod 3, with 3–5 spines; pereopod 4, with 4 spines; pereopod 5, with 3 or 4 spines. Pleura of abdominal somites 1–4 rounded, 5 with ventral point. Telson with 4–7 pairs dorsolateral spines. Male total length 33 mm, female 60 mm.

Color in life. Watery pink, with patterns of small red spots on body, appendages ( Butler 1980).

Habitat and depth. Benthic, 22–313 m.

Range. Gabriola I., Strait of Georgia, Alaska to San Diego, California . Type locality off Santa Cruz I., California.