Arthropoda
Ovalipes stephensoni
Size
Carapace Length: to 6.8cm (2.7") Carapace Width: to 8.2cm (3.2")
Recognition Characters
Carapace is wider than long. Antolateral teeth prominent, 5 on each side of carapace, projected forward. Rostrum spine is longer than two adjacent spines. Chelipeds large, distal anterior margin of merus with several small blunt spines. Carpus has 2 prominent spines, interior spine is extremely long.
Color
Lavender-gray underlaid with dull yellow. Can be variable and pattern can be spotted.
Habitat & Depth
On or over sandy bottoms. Surface waters to 227m.
Distribution at GRNMS
Geographic Range
Virginia south to Biscayne Bay, Florida
Behavior & Notes
This species and its twin species, O. floridanus, are among the relatively few described examples of divergence of a marine Carolinian stock into two recognizable entities. The Gulf of Mexico species is much smoother than the Atlantic Carolinian one, but coloration and habitat are similar.
Synonyms
Williams 1984