Typical for Portunus, with nine triangular teeth and one long lateral tubercle at each side; dorsal surface covered with soft and extremely short pubescence, by which true surface is entirely disguised; ridges strong and covered with fine granules; two transverse gastric ridges united by a median ridge; a sinuous one extending from tip of lateral tubercle of carapace across branchial region; a broad transverse ridge on cardiac region interrupted at middle, forming a T with a median longitudinal ridge behind it; two small bare spots along anterlateral border at base of fourth tooth and at sixth and seventh teeth; a bare iridescent spot of good size at each posterolateral slope just above insertion of penultimate leg. Chelipeds long; merus with five of six spines on inner margin and one at end of outer margin; carpus with two spines at outer distal end and inner angle; palm with two at outer proximal part and subterminal part of upper border. Merus of natatory leg with postero-distal margin spinulous.
Distribution:
West Atlantic from southern Massachusetts through the Gulf of Mexico to Venezuela and Suriname, 2-80 m deep.
Remarks:
The Pacific analogue from California, P. xantusii (Stimpson), has the sharper frontal teeth and the slenderer natatory merus.