Hypothalassia acerba
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| Hypothalassia acerba | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Brachyura |
| Family: | Hypothalassiidae |
| Genus: | Hypothalassia |
| Species: | H. acerba |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypothalassia acerba Koh & Ng, 2000 | |
Hypothalassia acerba is a large crab found in the muddy substrates of the deep seas off the southwestern Australian and New Zealand coasts.[1] Australian distribution, which is correlated to depth and temperature,[2] ranges from a latitude as far north as approximately 27° S on the west coast, southwards, then eastwards on the south coast to a longitude of at least 129° E.[3] The species usually occurs in waters with temperatures of 13–19 °C (55–66 °F) and in depths ranging of 200–255 metres (656–837 ft) on the lower west coast and 90–200 m (300–660 ft) on the south coast.[4] Body size is inversely related to depth of water.[5] There are only two species in the genus Hypothalassia,[6] and H. acerba is not the same champagne crab as the other Hypothalassia species, H. armata, which is found in Japanese waters.[1]
The species has well-defined groves on a hexagonal carapace, with a smooth dorsal surface and a spiny anterior surface. Carapace width is 150 mm. Their branchial openings are partially covered by maxillipeds, and have asymmetrical chelipeds with stiff, brown-black spines of various sizes on their walking legs. The frontal region is beige-cream and covered in many short setae. Walking legs have a dactylus of 3.7–4.3 times as long as wide.[1]