Distribution & Ecology: Endemic to the region; Easter Island; Pitcairn; Austral (Arago bank, Thiers Bank); Society (Moorea, Tahiti); Tuamotu (Anuanuraro, Hikueru, Makemo, Takapoto, Takaroa) - Marine; Shoreline to 10 m; Coral obligate associate (Gen. Pocillopora).

Regional Records: EASTER ISLAND - Trapezia areolata - Garth, 1973: 320 (Hanga Piko; scuba diving, coral reef, 8-10m). - Castro, 1997b: 116 (Anakena Bay, 9.9.95, coll. M. Retamal, 1995 Chilean Navy, POI Expedition). - FRENCH POLYNESIA - Trapezia areolata Dana,1852a: 83; 1852b: 259; 1855, pl. 15, fig. 8a (Tahiti). - Cano, 1888: 173 (Tahiti). - Ortmann 1893b: 485 (Tahiti; part). - Forest & Guinot, 1961: 135, fig. 133 (Hikueru; part). - Odinetz, 1983: 31 (French Polynesia). - Odinetz, 1984a: 443, fig. 3c, 4c (Moorea, Tahiti, Takapoto). - Galil & Lewinsohn, 1985a: 286, fig. 1, 3-4 (Tahiti). - Guinot, 1985: 452 (List). - Odinetz-Collart & Richer de Forges, 1985: 201 (Moorea, Tahiti, Takapoto). - Poupin, 1996a: 3, 58, 60 (Checklist). - Castro, 1997b: 116, pl. 1, fig. 1c (Anuanuraro, Hikueru, Makemo, Moorea, Tahiti, Takapoto, Takaroa; Syn.; in part coll. Frv Marara). - Castro et al., 2004: 48 (Neotype from Anuanuraro atoll, Tuamotu). - Trapezia cymodoce maculata - Rathbun, 1907: 59 (Makemo; part). - Trapezia ferruginea areolata - Sendler, 1923: 40 (Tahiti). - Seurat, 1934: 59 (List). - Trapezia reticulata - Kropp & Birkeland, 1981: 629 (Moorea, Takapoto). - Odinetz, 1983: 31, 205 photograph 3 (Moorea, Tahiti, Takapoto). - Guinot, 1985: 452 (List; after Odinetz, 1983) - All, not Trapezia reticulata Stimpson, 1858, synonym of T. septata Dana, 1852. - Trapezia septata Dana, 1852. - Poupin, 1996a: 60 (Checklist) - Not Trapezia septata Dana. - Unpublished sp., coll. BENTHAUS Expedition stn DW1926, dredge 50-90 m, det. J. Poupin from photograph only, carapace about 8x9 mm; ident. checked by P. Castro, September 2003 (plus stn DW 1984, Arago bank, 40 m). - Moorea Biocode project.

Depth distribution: 0 - 50 m