About Lithodes santolla (Molina, 1782)
Lithodes santolla, which also goes by the common names southern king crab, Chilean king crab, or centolla, is a species of king crab. It is distributed off the coast of southern South America, including the offshore Falkland Islands. Along the Pacific side of southern South America, the species occurs in Chile from Talcahuano to Cape Horn. Along the Atlantic side, it is found off the coasts of Argentina and Uruguay. This crab inhabits the benthic zone, at depths ranging from 0 to 700 meters (0 to 2,300 feet). All recorded occurrences of the species in Uruguay come exclusively from great depths. In Chile, the species mostly lives at depths up to 150 meters (490 feet), but south of 40° S, it can be found as deep as 600 meters (2,000 feet). It is a large crab, with a maximum recorded carapace length of 19 centimeters (7.5 inches), and it is targeted by commercial fishing operations.
