Cancer bellianus

Cancer bellianus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Superfamily: Cancroidea
Family: Cancridae
Genus: Cancer
Species: C. bellianus
Binomial name
Cancer bellianus
Johnson, 1861 [1]

Cancer bellianus, the toothed rock crab, is a common species of crab in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Description

It grows up to 130 millimetres (5.1 in) in carapace length, and is pale brown with red spots.[2]

Distribution and ecology

Its geographical range extends from near Höfn on the south coast of Iceland (at nearly 64° N) south to Morocco, including the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.[3] It is found at depths from 50 metres (160 ft) to over 730 m (2,400 ft).[4] While the species is sometimes abundant in the south of its range, it is uncommon further north; all the specimens from Brittany and further north were male, and are thought to be recent travellers from further south, rather than representing a stable northern population.[5]

Fisheries

C. bellianus is caught as bycatch by artisan fishermen targeting Palinurus elephas, and as much as 10 t can be caught annually.[3]

References

External identifiers for Cancer bellianus
Encyclopedia of Life 2950063
WoRMS 107275
  1. Charles Fransen (June 12, 2007). "Cancer bellianus Johnson, 1861". European Register of Marine Species. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  2. M.J. de Kluijver; S.S. Ingalsuo. "Cancer bellianus". Macrobenthos of the North Sea: Crustacea. Universiteit van Amsterdam. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Pinho, M. R., J. M. Gonçalves & H. R. Martins (2001). "Biology and abundance of Cancer bellianus (Decapoda, Brachyura) around the Azores". ICES Journal of Marine Science. 58 (4): 896–903. doi:10.1006/jmsc.2001.1079.
  4. J. A. Quiles; V. Rico; V. M. Tuset; J. I. Santana; J. A. González (2001). "Notes on the biology of Cancer bellianus (Brachyura, Cancridae) around the Canary Islands". Hydrobiologia. 449 (1–3): 193–199. doi:10.1023/A:1017546615270.
  5. James Mason; C. Davidson (1965). "Cancer bellianus Johnson in Northern Atlantic waters (Decapod Brachyura)". Crustaceana. 10 (3): 318–320. doi:10.1163/156854066X00261. JSTOR 20102755.
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