Anterior shield of carapace smooth and provided with some bundles of setae along lateral borders; rostrum absent, and lateral projections more or less conical with obtuse and outward-directed apex. Eyestalk stout and weakly constricted in middle, extending to, or slightly beyond tip of antennal peduncle, and to distal two-thirds of antennular peduncle; inner margin of ophthalmic scale straight, its blunt tip bearing some spinules. Carpus, palm and fingers of left cheliped covered with scaly sharp granules or tubercles which are uniformly disposed and sharper on and near margins. Propodus and dactylus of left second ambulatory legs with a longitudinal smooth groove and numerous transverse rugae along margins.
Distribution:
SWest Atlantic from North Carolina through the West Indies to Brazil, 10-90 m deep.
Remarks:
Some larger specimens carried a sea-anemone on the shell, and in some smaller specimens the shell was entirely overgrown by a mass of sponge of about 8 cm in length of longer axis. This species is distinct from D. venosus (H. Milne Edwards).