General Description

Carapace anterolateral margin with 3 long sharp conical spines; carapace with numerous scattered stiff hairs, about 12 hairs forming a fringe behind frontal margin. Cheliped with spines on outer face; walking legs with sharp spines on meri, carpi, but not propodi. Up to 22 mm wide.

Biology

Whereas many crabs will attempt to escape when disturbed or captured, pilumnud crabs play dead, curling their legs up to look as inconspicuous as possible. Their camouflage makes them difficult to see even when rocks are turned. Pilumnids are among the most difficult of crabs to identify to species in southern Australia, and close attention to the structure of the first pleopod (gonopod 1) of male specimens will be required to separate some closely related species.

Distribution

Southern temperate oceans, including southern Australia.

Habitat

Subtidal, to 220 m depth.

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