Lithodes aotearoa
Species of king crab
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lithodes aotearoa is a species of king crab endemic to New Zealand.[3] It had formerly been confused with L. longispina and L. murrayi, which until 2010 were thought to occur in the region.[4] It is the second most widespread and common lithodid in New Zealand waters after Neolithodes brodiei,[5] and the New Zealand Department of Conservation classifies it as "Not Threatened".[1]
| Lithodes aotearoa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Juvenile above, adult specimen below | |
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Anomura |
| Family: | Lithodidae |
| Genus: | Lithodes |
| Species: | L. aotearoa |
| Binomial name | |
| Lithodes aotearoa | |
Description
Lithodes aotearoa is deep-purplish red in colour and has a pyriform carapace.[6] The carapace is covered with prominent, slender spines in juveniles and short, conical spines in adults.[7] Inbetween the spines are a smooth surface sparsely dotted with granules or small secondary spines.[7] Its carapace has been measured as large as 195.0 mm (7.68 in) in postrostral length and 199.1 mm (7.84 in) in width in a male specimen.[8][a] The largest known female carapace measures 190.5 mm (7.50 in) in postrostral length and 183.9 mm (7.24 in) in width.[9][a] Its rearmost pair of walking legs is the longest, and its legspan can be over 130 cm (51 in).[10] It is the largest lithodid known from New Zealand.[8]
Fisheries
Lithodes aotearoa are commercially fished in the waters around New Zealand.[11] They are included, with Neolithodes brodiei, in the total allowable commercial catch of up to 90 t (200,000 lb; 99 short tons) for king crabs under New Zealand's Quota Management System.[11]
