Vol. 53 - Alaska Resources Library and Information Services

alutaceus was encountered in 47.8% of the trawls made between 40 and 100
m (Feder and Jewett 1980).
Wet weight biomass of this last species was
0.028 g/m² and comprised only 0.6% of total epifaunal biomass in the
Middle Shelf Domain (Jewett and Feder 1981).
The kelp crabs Pugettia
gracilis and Mimulosa foliatus inhabit the area near Unalaska Island
(Rathbun 1925).
Accounts of reproduction of these species are scant or nonexistent,
but most mating appears to be associated with females molting
(Knudsen 1964).
Ovigerous females of the species Oregonia gracilis,
Hyas coarctatus altaceus and H. lyratus have been reported from the
southeastern Bering Sea in the late spring and early summer (Feder and
Jewett 1980). Fecundity in Puget Sound was reported by Knudsen (1964)
who found that female Oregonia gracilis 17 to 25 mm in carapace length
carried 2,800 to 17,400 eggs, and female Pugettia gracilis 20 to 25 mm
in length carried 6,200 to 13,300 eggs.
Several of these species have been reported as food items for Pacific
cod (Gadus macrocephalus, sculpins, rock sole (Lepidopsetta bilineata),
and the sea-stars Asterius amurensis and Pycnopodia helianthodes
(Feder and Jewett 1981).
Hyas coarctatus alutaceus is an important food
item in the Bering Sea bearded seal diet (Lowry and Frost 1981) and of
secondary importance for red king crab (Cunningham 1969).
All majid crabs molt through two zoeal stages and a megalops stage
(Hart 1971).
Hart (1960) described laboratory-reared larvae of Oregonia
gracilis and Hyas lyratus from British Columbia. Hyas coarctatus
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