The species is known from only the holotype female, number UWBM 92012, and five other specimens all of which are currently residing in the collections housed at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington, USA.

This placement was followed until 2000, when the subgenera were elevated to full genera by Carrie E. Schweitzer and Rodney M. Feldmann,[2] making the species' binomial Metacarcinus starri.

[1] In comparisons of overall morphology, M. starri was noted to be most similar to the living species M. gracils, commonly called the graceful rock crab.

[1] Metacarcinus starri lived and was preserved in strata deposited at depths of 50–70 m (160–230 ft), placing them in the lower sublittoral zone.

The specimens were preserved in concretions found as loose float cobbles along the Strait of Juan de Fuca shoreline and collected at sites B6133 and B6136.