CRABS (BRACHYURA) OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

Crabs of the Gulf of Mexico 33
examined by Guinot (1966) and aligned with Aethra of the Parthenopidae,
along with Actaeomorpha of the Leucosiidae. She proposed a new
subfamily, Aethrinae, to contain these genera, pending further studies.
The status of these changes is still in doubt, as is the status of the genus
Matuta Weber, which is not represented in the Gulf of Mexico. Until
such studies are available, Hepatus and Osachila are included within the
Matutinae and they are listed with the other calappids, while recognizing
their probable relationship to the Parthenopidae.)
Hepalus Latreille, 1802
Hepalus ephelilicus (Johansson, in Linnaeus, 1763) (Amoemtates academicae,
etc., vol. 6, p. 414)
Common Names: Calico Crab; Leopard Crab; Dolly Varden Crab
Hay & Shore, 1918, p. 422, pi. 37, fig. 1; Rathbun, 1937, p. 238, pi. 70, figs. 3-4,
pi. 71, figs. 1-4; Williams, 196S, p. 158, fig. 140; Felder, 1973a, p. 43, pi. 5, fig. 14.
Range: Chesapeake Bay to south Florida; Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas;
west coast of Florida to south Texas; Campeche Banks, off Yucatan; Cuba;
Jamaica; Dominican Republic.
Depth: near shore to 46 m (to 25 fm).
Habitat: sand, sand-shell, and mud-sand substrates; found inside passes, channels,
and harbors, but more common in shallow, open marine waters. Buries in
substrate, probablj^ nocturnal. Frequently collected with sea anemones attached
to dorsal carapace.
Remarks: Calliactis tricolor is the most common anemone found on this crab,
usually a single anemone located in the middle of the anterior margin, where
the exhalent current of the crab induces a current over the anemone's basal disc
(Carlgren and Hedgpeth, 1952). Larval development of this crab was studied by
Costlow and Bookhout (1962). Gvaj (1957) measured the total gill area. Considerable
variation exists in the dorsal carapace color patterns: some are spotted
and others are marked with horizontal bands, including continuous gradations
between these forms. Ovigerous females are not often collected, but have been
reported off Texas in July (Hildebrand, 1954). Regional lists include Florida
(Wass, 1955; Dragovich and Kelly, 1964; Abele, 1970; Menzel, 1971), Mississippi
(Richmond, 1962; Franks et ah, 1972), Louisiana (Behre, 1950; Hoese and
Valentine, 1972), Texas (Gunter, 1950; Hedgpeth, 1953; Hildebrand, 1954;
Parker, 1959; Breuer, 1962; Leary, 1967), Campeche (Hildebrand, 1955), and
offshore waters of the Gulf (Chace, 1956). Fotheringham and Brunenmeister
(1975) summarize some of the natural history of this crab. Guinot (1966)
reviews the taxonomic status of this and related genera.
Hepalus princeps (Herbst, 1794).
This name was determined to be a junior synonym of H. pudibundus (Herbst,
1785) in a revision by Holthuis (1959, p. 167). Rathbun (1937) and earlier
regional surveys use the junior name and these are referred to H. pudibundus.