Leach, 1814
Description:
Body smooth, somewhat thickset, cylindrical, with the lateral processes not very far apart. Cephalon about as long as the two succeeding segments together, neck comparatively short, frontal part expanded. Abdomen comparatively small, cylindrical and directed upwards.
Ocular tubercle more or less elevated, conical-obtuse hardly higher than broad at the base, the eyes equal in size and located nearer to the base of the tubercle than to the tip. Proboscis nearly as long as the cephalon. Chelifores well developed; the hand as long as the scape, oblongo-oval; fingers somewhat shorter than the palm. Palps of moderate length, with five segments; the 2nd and 3rd segments equal in length; the last segments somewhat longer than the penultimate one, and both together as long as the 3rd segment.
Ovigerous legs with ten segments present in both sexes, comparatively short, the last four segments longer than segments 4 and 5 together; marginal spines with about seven teeth on either side.
Ambulatory legs hardly more than three times longer than the body, with stiff, scattered placed, bristles; femur in female rather tumid; tibia 1 shorter; tibia 2 about as long as the femur and nearly twice as long as the 2 outer segments together; tarsus shorter than the propodus, the latter somewhat curved and armed with four strong spines on the inner edge; terminal claw scarcely more than half as long as the propodus; auxiliary claws about half the length of the terminal claw.
Colour white, with more or less distinct transversal bands. Length of the body up to 4 mm; the extent between the points of the ambulatory legs reaching 15 mm.
Habitat:
Occurring on the shore and shallow sublittoral.
Distribution:
On most European Atlantic coasts from Norway to Morocco and parts of the English Channel.