(Linnaeus, 1758)
Carapace with 4 antero-lateral spines posterior to orbit (including postorbital spine). Surface of carapace with mat of short curled setae; mostly smooth, with a blunt tubercle just behind and slightly medial to each orbit; supraorbital margins smooth; thoracic sternum of male covered by short curled setae, surface close to each sternite usually naked and smooth, male abdomen with obvious covering of a fine mat of setae, except for transverse bands and other adjoining bare patches. Ambulatory legs with numerous short, compressed, distally-curved, sharp spines on dorsal edge of merus, the number increasing with size. First male pleopod massive with laterally compressed hard plates and truncate subconical tip. (Davie 1997)
Type locality: "Mari indico".
Range: South Africa - (de Haan, 1835, Krauss, 1843), Cape of Good Hope (Dana, 1852), Simon's Bay (Miers, 1886), around coast from Luderitzbucht and Port Nolloth on west coast to Port Shepstone, Natal (Barnard, 1950); Saint-Paul Island (Richer de Forges, 1983); Taiwan; Australia - Illawarra, New South Wales (Dana, 1852), Bass Strait (Fulton & Grant, 1906, Rathbun, 1923a), Abrolhos Islands (Montgomery, 1931), Tasmania (Tweedie, 1942, Griffin, 1971), Bass Strait and Tasmania (Griffin, 1969a), Port Jackson, N.S.W. and Victoria (Griffin, 1972), Trial Bay and Sydney, New South Wales, and Port Philipp (Richer de Forges, 1983); Kermadec Islands - Sunday Island (Chilton, 1911); New Zealand (Dana, 1852, Chilton & Bennett, 1929, Richer de Forges, 1983); Chile - Juan Fernandez (Garth, 1957b).