Upogebia hirtifrons

As adults, they are roughly 70 mm in length, with the cephalothorax (fused head and thorax region) being 22 mm and the abdomen being 48 mm. They are coloured pale brown. Several characteristics distinguish this from other Upogebia species. The rostrum (extension at the front of the cephalothorax) is broad, rounded at the front with four to five small tooth-like projections. On the upper margins of the cephalothorax there is a single spine. The first pereiopod (leg-like structures) have claws where one pincer is longer than the other. The carpus (fifth segment of the leg) has two distinct teeth near their end. At the base of the claw (referred to as the "palm"), there are eleven to twelve teeth distributed throughout it and tufts of hair in a row on the outer surface.

U. hirtifrons are endemic to New Zealand. They occur along the coasts of the North Island and northern South Island. They occur in the intertidal and subtidal zones in soft sediments. In the sediment, they create burrows that may have several entrances that connect to larger chambers. A water current is created throughout the burrow by beating their pleopods. From this current, they feed on food particles strained out of the water using setae on their first pair of walking legs. The maxillipeds are used to transfer food from the legs to the mouth.