(Pennant, 1777)
Description:
Frontal region of carapace produced as a broad rostrum with each half widely separated, conspicuously broad at base and tapering distally, postorbital spine laterally expanded, antorbital spine absent, a gap sometimes present between supraorbital eave and postorbital spine, many regions of carapace with boletate and scutellate tubercles, intestinal region with a crescentric row of flat, fused tubercles; second and third peduncular segments of antenna moderately broad, eyestalks concealed when retracted. Chelipeds equal in size; second to fifth pereiopods with segment margins strongly cristate, propodus and dactylus setose.
Female chelipeds shorter and less robust than in male.
Size:
Carapace length up to 14 (19) mm.
Habitat:
Depth range from lower shore to beyond 180 metres, hard ground and muddy sand. Ovigerous crabs January-August, larvae March-November.
Colour:
Carapace and limbs pale red to brown, sometimes blue-grey, tubercles white or brownish.
Distribution:
Shetland, Orkney, Moray Firth, Firth of Forth, Yorkshire, Wash, East Channel, Wight, Portland, Channel Isles, Plymouth, Scilly Isles, Bristol Channel, Anglesey, Liverpool Bay, Isle of Man, Dublin, Belfast, Clyde & Argyll, Lewis, Fastnet, Cork, Sole.