Rochinia crassa, also known as the inflated spiny crab,Decapod crustaceans from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps: a review through 2005 Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 145, 445–522, Joel W. Martin and Todd A. Haney is a species of crab in the family Epialtidae.
Description Rochinia crassa has a spiny, elongate-triancular carapace. The rostrum comprises two short, stout spines. The chelipeds are very long and thin, and in adults can be approximately four times the length of the carpace. The walking legs are also long and slender.Guide to Shelf Invertebrates, Gulf of Mexico, Perry and Larsen, 2004
Distribution This species is found in the western Atlantic including the Gulf of Mexico, and ranges from Nova Scotia, Canada in the north, to Massachusetts and Texas in United States waters. It also occurs from northern Cuba to Colombia and French Guiana.
Habitat It lives in soft bottoms, in substrates of mud and sand at depths of between 66 and 1,216 metres. This species does not occur near vents or seep sites.
References
External links Image of juvenile and adult Image of juvenile specimen Image of adult specimen