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Home , Epialtidae, Epialtinae, Multicrustacea, Pugettia, Pugettia gracilis, Pugettia producta

Phylum: Arthropoda, Crustacea

Pugettia producta : Multicrustacea, ,

Order: , , Pleocyemata, Brachyura, A Eubrachyura, Family: , ,

Taxonomy: producta was originally Mouthparts: The mouth of decapod described as Epialtus productus by Randall comprises six pairs of appendag- in 1840, but was later moved to the es including one pair of mandibles (on either Pugettia. Current synonyms for P. producta side of the mouth), two pairs of maxillae and include E. products, and P. productus (Ng et three pairs of maxillipeds. The maxillae and al. 2008). maxillipeds attach posterior to the mouth and extend to cover the mandibles (Ruppert et al. Description 2004). Size: is the largest of the Carapace: Carapace remarkably kelp (Wicksten 2011) and the largest smooth and mature specimens are practically individual, on record, was 93 mm in width hairless (Garth 1958). Sides of carapace are and 107 mm in length. Oregon specimens almost parallel with prominent posterolateral are larger than those in southern California. teeth (Pugettia, Carlton and Kuris 1975). The average male carapace is 71 mm in Posterior margin convex medially (Garth length and 62 mm in width, female carapace 1958) and carapace decidedly longer than is 69 mm in length and 59 mm in width wide (Wicksten 2011). (Wicksten 2011). Frontal Area: Rostrum deeply notched Color: Body color highly dependent on sea- and bifid, small and with horns bearing son, molting stage and ingested macroalgal hooked setae (Garth 1958; Wicksten 2011) pigments (Hultgren and Stachowicz 2008) (Figs. 1, 2). and ranges from light olive green to dark Teeth: Dorsal surface smooth with brown or black. Ventrally, females and juve- small pre- and post-orbital teeth (Fig. 2). niles are often yellow and males bright red Large anterolateral (hepatic) teeth. Large he- (see Wicksten 2011). patic tooth is joined to postorbital tooth. A General Morphology: The body of decapod large tooth is also present between anterol- crustaceans can be divided into the cepha- ateral tooth and posterior margin. lothorax (fused head and thorax) and abdo- Pereopods: Almost cylindrical men. They have a large plate-like carapace (Rathbun 1925) and decreasing in length pos- dorsally, beneath which are five pairs of tho- teriorly with slender dactyls that bear spinules racic appendages (see chelipeds and pere- (Fig. 1) (Garth 1958; Wicksten 2011). Legs opods) and three pairs of maxillipeds (see shorter and stouter than in other Pugettia spe- mouthparts). The abdomen and associat- cies. ed appendages are reduced and folded ven- Chelipeds: Large and well developed, trally (Decapoda, Kuris et al. 2007). especially in mature males, where they are Cephalothorax: stout and shorter than the first walking legs. Eyes: Eyes small and distance be- The hand long and narrow (sometimes inflat- tween them less than one third carapace ed), fingers (dactyls) are slender, pointed pos- width (adults). teriorly and curved inward, inner margins are Antenna:

A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual : https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-estuarine-invertebrates and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected]

Hiebert, T.C. and A. Burgess. 2015. Pugettia producta. In: Oregon Estuarine Invertebrates: Rudys' Illustrated Guide to Common Spe- cies, 3rd ed. T.C. Hiebert, B.A. Butler and A.L. Shanks (eds.). University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR.

dentate and often gaping (males). Female nia (Garth 1958; Wicksten 2011). chelipeds, on the other hand, are slender Local Distribution: Coos Bay distribution in (Fig. 3) (Rathbun 1925). Female cheliped South Slough. Oregon distribution includes more slender than male (Wicksten 2011). various protected outer shores and estuaries. Abdomen (Pleon): Abdomen narrow in Habitat: Off hard substrate and amongst male, broad in female (Fig. 4). Consists of eelgrass and kelp (Egregia, Ricketts and seven segments (Fig. 4). Calvin 1971). Also occurs in tidepools on Telson & Uropods: , on pilings in bays and in Sexual Dimorphism: Male and female Enteromorpha, but prefers (juveniles) brachyuran crabs are easily differentiable. (Garth and Abbott 1980). The most conspicuous feature, the abdo- Salinity: Collected at salinities of 30. Does men, is narrow and triangular in males while not osmoregulate or tolerate brackish water it is wide and flap-like in females. Addition- (Garth and Abbott 1980). ally, males have one large chela (see Cheli- Temperature: peds) and two pleopod pairs specialized for Tidal Level: Intertidal to 80 meters (Garth copulation however, the third and fourth ple- 1958; Wicksten 2011). opods are absent. Females, on the other Associates: Sometimes hosts parasitic bar- hand, have all four pleopod pairs, each with nacle, Sacculina. Eggs parasitized by nemer- long setae for egg attachment (Brachyura, tean worm Carcinonemertes epialti (Garth Kuris et al. 2007). and Abbott 1980; Coe 1902; Kuris et al. 2007). Possible Misidentifications Abundance: Most common kelp crab in Coos Among the Epialtidae, there are four Bay estuary. local species, three of which belong to the genus Pugettia (Kuris et al. 2007). Besides Life-History Information P. producta, and Pugettia Reproduction: All decapod fe- richii are two smaller species found in the males attach recently laid gelatinous egg northwest. Both are smaller and have a masses to their pleopods. The outer embryo greater distance between the eyes (about membrane thickens and a strand develops half the carapace width) than P. producta. that attaches each embryo to pleopod setae Additionally, both have tuberculate carapace (Decapoda, Kuris et al. 2007). Ovigerous fe- surfaces, constrictions between the hepatic males have been observed year-round in and branchial teeth and long walking legs Monterey Bay, California, although rarely dur- (Garth 1958, Wicksten 2011). Neither P. ing some months. In Puget Sound, Washing- gracilis nor P. richii have the smooth surface ton largest broods are observed in November or straight carapace sides of P. producta. to January. Brood numbers range from Pugettia gracilis can be similar in color to P. 34,000 to 84,000 with an average of 61,000 producta, but P. richii is usually red with legs embryos that are yellow early in development banded (Wicksten 2011). Members of the and become orange-red to brown at more ad- local epialtid genus Mimulus lack vanced stages (Jaffe et al. 1987). Develop- posterolateral spines. mental timelines are variable with latitude from 28–31 days in Monterey, California to Ecological Information almost a year in Puget Sound, Washington Range: Type locality is northern California. (Knudsen 1964; Jaffe et al. 1987). Females Known range includes Prince of Wales Is- produce broods regularly and some authors land, Alaska to Point Asuncion, Baja Califor- A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual species: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-estuarine-invertebrates and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected]

suggest as often as monthly (Hines 1981; posited and the cuticle gradually hard- Jaffe et al. 1987). Carcinonemertes epialti is ens. During a molt decapods have the ability a nemertean predator of P. producta eggs to regenerate limbs that were previously au- (Coe 1902). Up to 100 nemerteans were totomized (Kuris et al. 2007). found on a single crab (Monterey, California, Food: Pugettia producta is primarily herbivo- Coe 1902). The reproduction and life-cycle rous, preferring brown algae, but will eat bar- of C. epialti is dependent upon and corre- nacles, and pieces in the labora- sponds to that of its host species. However, tory (Knudsen 1964). Ontogenetic changes this nemertean is not host specific (unlike from red intertidal algae to brown algae (kelp) Carcinonemertes errans on Cancer magis- has been reported by Hines (1982). ter) and occurs amongst egg masses of oth- Predators: (especially juveniles), larg- er species including Hemigrapsus oregonen- er crabs and sea otters (Grossman 1986; sis, H. nudus, Pachygrapsus crassipes (Roe Hultgren and Stachowizc 2008). Adult P. et al. 2007). Interestingly, it may be more producta are aggressive with a strong pinch common on H. oregonensis than P. produc- and thus, few predators. Additionally, color ta, for which it was described (Kuris 1993; camouflage effective in reducing Kuris et al. 2007). (Hultgren and Stachowicz 2008). Larva: The larval development of P. product Behavior: A nocturnal feeder, P. producta is has not been described in detail. Develop- an active species, particularly those in rocky ment consists of zoea (two) and megalopa tide pools (Rathbun 1925). Individuals stages (Hines 1981). The zoea of members occasionally attach pieces of algae, which will of the family Majidae (now Epialtidae) can be consumed later, to their rostrum (Wicksten be recognized by the presence of a rostral 2011). spine only, lack of lateral spines and an an- Bibliography tenna protopod that is nearly equal in length to the rostrum. The carapace of megalopae 1. CARLTON, J. T., and A. M. KURIS. 1975. are 1.6 mm in length and 1.2 mm in width Keys to decapod crustacea, p. 385-412. and is larger than its congener, P. gracilis In: Light's manual: intertidal invertebrates (Puls 2001). Recruitment of newly meta- of the central California coast. S. F. Light, morphosed individuals is mostly in intertidal R. I. Smith, and J. T. Carlton (eds.). Uni- and shallow subtidal eelgrass and surfgrass versity of California Press, Berkeley. zones (Jaffe et al. 1987). 2. COE, W. R. 1902. The nemertean para- Juvenile: Juveniles (about 3 mm long) can sites of crabs. American Naturalist:431- be constricted at the sides like P. richii 450. (Garth 1958). Newly settled individuals bear 3. GARTH, J. S. 1958. Brachyura of the Pa- tufts of setae on the lateral margins of the cific coast of America: Oxyrhyncha. Allan carapace and are yellow in color, ventrally Hancock Pacific Expedition. 21:188-193. (Wicksten 2011). 4. GARTH, J. S., and D. P. ABBOTT. 1980. Longevity: Brachyura: The true crabs, p. 594-630. In: Growth Rate: Growth occurs in conjunction Intertidal invertebrates of California. R. H. with molting. In pre-molting periods the epi- Morris, D. P. Abbott, and E. C. Haderlie dermis separates from the old cuticle and a (eds.). Stanford University Press, Stan- dramatic increase in epidermal cell growth ford, CA. occurs. Post-molt individuals will have soft 5. GROSSMAN, G. D. 1986. Food resource shells until a thin membranous layer is de- partitioning in a rocky intertidal fish assem-

Hiebert, T.C. and A. Burgess. 2015. Pugettia producta. In: Oregon Estuarine Invertebrates: Rudys' Illustrated Guide to Common Spe- cies, 3rd ed. T.C. Hiebert, B.A. Butler and A.L. Shanks (eds.). University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Charleston, OR.

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A publication of the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Individual species: https://oimb.uoregon.edu/oregon-estuarine-invertebrates and full 3rd edition: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18839 Email corrections to: [email protected]