Hypothalassia_acerba
Hypothalassia acerba
Species of crab
Hypothalassia acerba is a large crab found in the muddy substrates of the deep seas off the southwestern Australian and New Zealand coasts.[1] Australian distribution, which is correlated to depth and temperature,[2] ranges from a latitude as far north as approximately 27° S on the west coast, southwards, then eastwards on the south coast to a longitude of at least 129° E.[3] The species usually occurs in waters with temperatures of 13–19 °C (55–66 °F) and in depths ranging of 200–255 metres (656–837 ft) on the lower west coast and 90–200 m (300–660 ft) on the south coast.[4] Body size is inversely related to depth of water.[5] There are only two species in the genus Hypothalassia,[6] and H. acerba is not the same champagne crab as the other Hypothalassia species, H. armata, which is found in Japanese waters.[1]