Jacquinot and Lucas (1853); Haig (1955); Retamal (1981).
(武田正倫)
Material examined:
FSFL D1944 (1 young ♀-52°34′S, 59°17′W, 65 m deep; Dec. 16, 1969); B3056 (1♂-54°17′S, 61°30′W, 212 m deep; Dec. 20, 1969); V828, V868, V872, V874 (2♂♂, 1♀, 2 juv. ♂♂, 1 juv. ♀-51°59′S, 57°47′W, 104 m deep; Dec. 22, 1969); EM469 (1♂-37°02′S, 54°29′W, 135 m deep; Apr. 12, 1978); EM182 (1♂-53°59′S, 67°02′W, 51 m deep; May 15, 1978). Breadth of carapace, about 12.5 cm in largest male (V874) and about 15 cm in largest female (V828).
Description:
A large, commercially important species. Carapace, chelipeds and ambulatory legs uniformly covered with sharp conical tubercles of nearly equal size, but in the small individuals less than 3 cm in its breadth the carapace is armed with very long spines instead of tubercles; carapace roughly triangular with obtuse angles in its contour, but in the individuals more than 10 cm in carapace breadth the contour is rather pentagonal due to the development of branchial regions of both sides; gastric, cardiac and branchial regions moderately convex; cardiac region narrowing posteriorly and lateral furrows of both sides confluent posteriorly; hepatic and branchial margins fringed with conical tubercles. Median rostral tooth nearly as long as external orbital tooth, curving upward and extending forward, with 2 pairs of dorsolateral spines. Right cheliped larger than the left. Ambulatory legs long and armed with sharp tubercles on both margins and on upper surfaces. Second abdominal segment composed of a median and 2 lateral plates, and third to fifth segments united with chitinous membrane as one of generic features.
Distribution:
Known from Chilean coast at about 42° S through the Straits of Magellan northward to off Buenos Aires; lower littoral zone to 212 m deep.
Remarks:
The general shape of the carapace, chelipeds and ambulatory legs is similar to that of L. aequispina Benedict from the deep-water of the North Pacific, but the South American species is somewhat smaller and covered with denser tubercles. In both species the armature is variable with developing ages.
(Masatsune TAKEDA)
Distribution of Lithodes antarcticus in Patagonia.