S.I. Smith, 1869
Diagnosis:
Orbits entirely closed, placed behind the anterior margin of the carapace. Carapace strongly depressed, with a deep, closed, cervical incision in the lateral margin. Posteromedian tooth present. Mandible with a simple or two-segmented palp. Exopods of all maxillipeds with a multiarticulate flagellum. Fifth abdominal somite in the adults without posteromedian spine. Body smooth and tuberculate. East Pacific.
Type:
Type locality: "La Paz, Lower California" ( = La Paz, Baja California, Mexico) Holotype female, depository unknown. Geographical Distribution: Eastern Pacific region: from Gulf of California (Mexico) to near Tumbes (Peru).
Habitat and Biology:
Found in depths between 2 and 90 m, most common between 2 and 25 m. Bottom sand or mud, or a mixture, sometimes with rocks.
Size:
Carapace length from 1 to 14.5 cm. Maximum total length about 33 cm.
Interest to Fisheries:
Although the species is of excellent taste, reasonably large size, and occurs on trawlable substrates, it is not commercially exploited at present. Exploratory trawling in the Gulf of Panama showed it to be present there in fairly large quantities. When caught it is sold fresh in the local markets.