senoritafish | (no subject)

Our dock sampler brought in a nifty crab today. This is a brown box crab, Lopholithodes formaminatus. What is really noticeable about this crab are the large openings on the back part of its claws, which allow water circulation over its gills when it is all curled up into a spiky ball (and from which it gets its species name). I'm sure some the aquariums around here have some, but this was the first one I've seen up close.

Here and here.

These are in fairly deep water, and are usually caught by trawl gear with flatfish.