KEY to FAMILIES of BC ANOMURAN CRABS Taxonomy

Home , Anomura, Brown box crab, Chirostyloidea, Cryptolithodes, Diogenidae, Hapalogastridae

KEY TO FAMILIES OF BC ANOMURAN CRABS

Karl P. Kuchnow

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the work of Josephine Hart(1982),and Mary K Wicksten(2011) on which much of this online key is based, as well as the work by P. A. Mclaughlin(1974) and A. Baldwin(unpublished key) for their work on the hermit crabs.

Common Names crabs, hermit crabs, squat lobsters

Taxonomy

Class Malacostraca Order Decapoda Infraorder Anomura Superfamily Chirostyloidea Galatheoidea Hippoidea Lithodoidea Paguroidea Families Chirostylidae Munididae Hippidae Hapalogastridae Diogenidae Munidopsidae Lithodidae Paguridae Porcellanidae Parapaguridae

Family Chirostylidae Gastroptychus iaspis Baba and Haig, 1990 red pinch bug

Family Diogenidae Paguristes turgidus (Stimpson, 1857) orange hairy hermit crab Paguristes ulreyi Schmitt, 1921 furry hermit crab

Family Hapalogastridae Acantholithodes hispidus (Stimpson, 1860) spiny lithode crab Hapalogaster grebnitzkii Schalfeew, 1892 northern hairy crab Hapalogaster mertensii Brandt, 1850 hairy crab Oedignathus inermis (Stimpson, 1860) paxillose crab Placetron wosnessenskii Schalfeew, 1892 scaled crab

Family Hippidae Emerita analoga (Stimpson, 1857) Pacific mole crab Family Lithodidae Cryptolithodes sitchensis Brandt, 1853 umbrella crab Cryptolithodes typicus Brandt, 1849 butterfly crab Lithodes aequispinus Benedict, 1895 golden king crab Lithodes couesi Benedict, 1895 scarlet king crab Lopholithodes foraminatus (Stimpson, 1862) brown box crab Lopholithodes mandtii Brandt, 1849 Puget Sound king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus (Tilesius, 1815) red king crab Paralomis multispina (Benedict, 1895) spiny paralomis Paralomis verrilli (Benedict, 1895) Verrill's paralomis Phyllolithodes papillosus Brandt, 1849 heart crab Rhinolithodes wosnessenskii Brandt, 1849 rhinoceros crab

Family Munididae Munida quadrispina Benedict, 1902 squat lobster

Family Munidopsidae Munidopsis granosicorium Williams and Baba, 1989 squat lobster Munidopsis quadrata Faxon, 1893 squat lobster

Family Paguridae Discorsopagurus schmitti (Stevens, 1925) tubeworm hermit crab Elassochirus cavimanus (Miers, 1879) purple hermit crab Elassochirus gilli (Benedict, 1892) Pacific red hermit crab Elassochirus tenuimanus (Dana, 1851) widehanded hermit crab Labidochirus splendescens (Owen, 1839) splendid hermit crab Orthopagurus minimus (Holmes, 1900) tuskshell hermit crab Pagurus aleuticus (Benedict, 1892) Aleutian hermit crab Pagurus armatus (Dana, 1851) black eyed hermit crab Pagurus beringanus (Benedict, 1892) Bering hermit crab Pagurus capillatus (Benedict, 1892) fuzzy hermit crab Pagurus caurinus Hart, 1971 greenmark hermit crab Pagurus confragosus (Benedict, 1892) knobbyhand hermit crab Pagurus cornutus (Benedict, 1892) hornyhand hermit crab Pagurus dalli (Benedict, 1892) white knee hermit crab Pagurus granosimanus (Stimpson, 1858) grainyhand hermit crab Pagurus hartae (McLaughlin and Jensen, 1996) Hart's hermit crab Pagurus hemphilli (Benedict, 1892) maroon hermit crab Pagurus hirsutiusculus (Dana, 1851) hairy hermit crab Pagurus kennerlyi (Stimpson, 1864) bluespined hermit crab Pagurus mertensii Brant, 1851 hermit crab Pagurus middendorffi Brant, 1851 hermit crab Pagurus ochotensis Brandt, 1851 Alaskan hermit crab Pagurus quaylei Hart, 1971 Quayle's hermit crab Pagurus rathbuni (Benedict, 1892) longfinger hermit crab Pagurus samuelis (Stimpson, 1857) blue band hermit crab Pagurus setosus (Benedict, 1892) setose hermit crab Pagurus stevensae Hart, 1971 Steven's hermit crab Pagurus tanneri (Benedict, 1892) longhand hermit crab Pagurus townsendi (Benedict, 1892) Pagurus trigonochirus (Stimpson, 1858) fuzzy hermit crab Pagurus undosus (Benedict, 1982) Pribilof hermit crab Family Parapaguridae Parapagurus benedicti de Saint Laurent, 1972 Deep sea hermit crab

Family Porcellanidae Pachycheles pubescens Holmes, 1900 pubescent porcelain crab Pachycheles rudis Stimpson, 1858 thick clawed porcelain crab Petrolisthes cinctipes (Randall, 1839) porcelain crab Petrolisthes eriomerus Stimpson, 1871 flattop crab

Background Anomurans are globally distributed and are found in all of British Columbia’s marine waters. The anomurans are a morphologically diverse group and include the hermit crabs, sand crabs, umbrella crabs, squat lobsters and porcelain crabs. Some of these crabs (i.e. the king crabs) are commercially important species (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2011), however, most only hold intrinsic and ecological value. One interesting subgroup within the anomurans is the Hermit Crabs, which are best known for living inside snail shells. Hermit crabs vigorously fight for snail shells by banging an opponents shell with their chelipeds (Reese 1963).

The anomura are found from the intertidal to deep water (Jensen 1995). They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, ranging from rocky to soft substrates and from the intertidal into deep water (Brusca and Brusca 1990; Jensen 1995).

The overall body shape of the Anomura varies. Some have a typical crab-shaped body with the abdomen folded under the carapace. In other the abdomen is not folded under the carapace and may be twisted (e.g. hermit crabs) or straight (e.g. squat lobsters).

Anomurans have five pairs of legs (pereopods), but only four pairs are easily visible. Of the four pairs of pereopods the first pair usually has chelae, while the remaining three are used for locomotion (Jensen 1995). The fifth and most posterior pair of legs is generally not easily visible, being much reduced in size and usually kept folded inside the gill chamber (Brusca and Brusca 1990; Jensen 1995). The hermit crabs appear to have only three pairs of pereopods: a pair of chelipeds and two pairs of walking legs. The two most posterior pairs of pereopods are reduced and kept inside the shell it carries. These small legs are used to hold on to the shell and to move within the shell (Kuris et al. 2007).

Another feature that distinguishes this group from the brachyurans is the placement of the two pairs of antenna. In anomurans one pair of antenna are located between the eyes and one pair to the outside of the eyes. In contrast, in the brachyurans both pairs of antenna are located between the eyes (Jensen 1995). (adapted from Hart 1982)

The anomurans are not hermaphroditic and may or may not be sexually dimorphic. Fertilization is internal and takes place immediately after the female undergoes ecdysis. The female may copulate several times, either with the same male or several different males (Brusca and Brusca 1990; Jensen 1995). In many species the male will hold onto or carry a female until she moults. Male hermit crabs will often hold onto the female crab's shell and may even rap on the shell to induce her to come out (Briffa and Elwood 2001).

The anomurans carry their eggs under their abdomen for up to a year, depending on the species, until the eggs hatch. During this period the female will remove foreign objects from the egg mass and aerate the eggs with her pleopods. In most species after hatching the juveniles enter a planktonic larval stage of development that generally bears little resemblance to the adult form (Brusca and Brusca 1990; Jensen 1995).

There are 53 species of Anomura known to live in the waters of British Columbia (Baldwin 2010). Of these there are two commercially important species: the Golden King Crab (Lithodes aequispinus) and the Red King Crab (Paralithodes camtschatica) (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2011). Anatomy

hermit crab

porcelain crab king crab

squat lobster Glossary of Terms

Abdomen: posterior part of body.

Abdominal pleuron (pleura): paired lateral flat extensions on some abdominal segments of the body

Accessory tooth: adjacent to crista dentata on the inner margin of the outer maxilliped.

Antenna (antennae): anterior jointed sensory appendage, with one flagellum

Antennule: anterior jointed sensory appendage, with two flagella.

Article: a unit of an appendage.

Basis (bases) basipodite: second article from body of appendage

Bifid, bifurcate: divided by a deep cleft into two equal parts.

Bristle: stiff seta or hair.

Calcareous or calcified: limy, containing carbonate of lime.

Cardiac: relatively large, unpaired median region in posterior half of carapace

Carpus (carpi): 5th article or segment of appendage.

Chela (chelae) and chelate: pincer, prehensile claw, “hand”; composed of propodus and dactyl.

Cheliped: whole appendage with chela or pincer.

Corneous: horn-like

Coxa (coxae): first segment of appendage attached to body.

Crista dentata: row of corneous teeth on inner margin of outer maxilliped (mxp3)

Endopod or endopodite: inner ramus of biramous appendage

Epipodite: outgrowth of coxa of maxillipeds and some pereopods.

Eyescale: flattened projection at base of eyestalk.

Eyestalk: peduncle bearing cornea

Exopod or expodite: outer ramus of biramous appendage.

F inger: the movable finger of hand is the dactyl; the immovable or fixed finger, a projection of the propodus. Flagellum (flagella): whip-like multiarticulate appendage

Fossa: type of valve scultpture

Hand: chela; propodus and dactylus of cheliped

Gastric region: relatively large, unpaired region of carapace overlying stomach

Gonopod: pleopod of male modified for copulation.

Gonopore or genital pore: small opening in integument through which eggs or sperm are released.

Ischium( ischia): 3rd article or segment from attachment of pereopod

Maxillipeds: outer or 3rd pair of maxillipeds are appendages anterior to pereiopods and usually cover mouth parts.

Merus (meri): 4th article or segment, from body of appendage.

Operculiform: having a plate or valve-like appendage.

Palm: propodus or hand without fingers

Pediform: foot-like appendage.

Pereopods: paired thoracic appendages used for seizing food and/or locomotion

Pleopods: ventral abdominal appendaiges, paired or single, which may occur on first five segments, or be missing, especially in males; serve for swimming and/or a deposit for fertilized eggs in females.

Propod or propodus: 6th article or segment from body of appendage

Protopod: fused basis and coxa of an appendage

Pubescent: having a soft velvet-like mass of setae

Quadrate: square or rectangular

Rasp: specialized setae on last two pairs of walking legs and on uropods of hermit crabs.

Rostral horns: rostrum divided into two elongated parts in some spider crabs

Rostrum: “a beak”; a forward projection of carapace, between the eyes in Crustacea

Scale: overlapping plates, or article on peduncle of antenna and eyestalk

Scaphocerite: on antenna, variously shaped outer branch (exopod) projecting from peduncle.

Serrate: having a saw-like edge

Seta (setae) setose: hair-like or needle-like structure on exoskeleton

Shield: anterior calcified portion of carapace of hermit crabs

Somite: segment of body

Sternite: ventral plates of body segments.

Stria and striation: linear marks on surface; may be slight ridges or furrows.

Sub: as a prefix- near; subequal, almost equal;

Subchelate: resembling a chela, but with thumb missing or short.

Suture: seamlike articulation of two parts; junction

Tail fan: sixth segment of abdomen, telson and uropods; used in swimming in some species.

Telson: terminal segment of abdomen, with anus opening ventrally.

Uropods: modified pleopods of sixth segment of abdomen and part of tail fan; may be used in swimming or for holding hermit crabs within their shell.

Walking legs: pereopods 2-5.

The Key

This online key is based primarily on the existing keys of Hart 1982, Kozloff 1996 , McLaughlin 1974 and Wicksten 2011, for the Families Chirostylidae, Diogenidae, Hippidae, Porcellanidae, Paguridae, and Parapaguridae, with a number of alterations to accommodate revisions and updates in the taxonomiy of the families in the Superfamily Lithodoidea (McLaughlin et al,2010) for Families Lithodidae and Hapalogastridae, and Superfamily Galatheoidea(Ahyong, et al 2010) for Families Munididae and Munidopsidae.

References

Ahyong, S. T., Baba, K., Macpherson E., and Poore, G. C. B. (2010) A new classification of the Galatheioidea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) Zootaxa 2676: 57-68 Baldwin, A. Unpublished Key: Paguridae Baldwin, A. 2010. Checklist of the shrimps, crabs, lobsters and crayfish of British Columbia 2010 (order Decapoda). In E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia edited by Brian Klinkenberg. Accessed January 6, 2011. http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html Briffa, M. and R.W. Elwood. 2001. Decision rules, energy metabolism and vigor of hermit-crab fights. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Biological Sciences. 268(1478):1841-1848. Brusca, R.C. and G.J. Brusca. 1990. The crustaceans. Pp. 618-658. In Invertebrates. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2011. Pacific region integrated fisheries management plan – crab by trap January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011. Accessed January 13, 2011. http://www-ops2.pac.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/mplans/mplans.htm?

Hart, J.F.L. 1982. Crabs and their relatives of British Columbia. Handbooks British Columbia Provincial Museum. 40:1-266 + figures 1-102. Jensen, G.C. 1995. Pacific Coast Crabs and Shrimps. Monterey: Sea Challengers. Kozloff, E.N. 1996. Phylum Arthropoda: subphylum crustacea: class malacostraca: order decapoda. Pp 404-411. In Marine invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press Kuris, A.M., P.S. Sadeghian, J.T. Carlton and E. Campos. 2007. Decapoda. Pp. 632-656. In The Light and Smith manual – intertidal invertebrates from central California to Oregon, 4th ed. edited by J.T. Carlton. Berkley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. McLaughlin, P.A. 1974. The hermit crabs(Crustacea Decapoda, Paguridea) of Northwestern North America. Zoologische Verhandlingen No. 130. Leiden, E.J Brill McLaughlin, P. A.; Komai, T; Lemaitre, R; Listyo R. D. (2010). Annotated checklist of anomuran decapod crustaceans of the world (exclusive of the Kiwaoidea and families Chirostylidae and Galatheidae of the Galatheoidea) Part I – Lithodoidea, Lomisoidea and Paguroidea. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement No. 23: 5-107 Reese, E.S. 1963. The behavioral mechanisms underlying shell selection by hermit crabs. Behaviour. 21(1-2): 78-126. Wicksten, M.K. 2011. Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces. UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography Library, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. http://escholarship.org/uc/item/7sk9t2dz

NOTE; This key deals only with the non-hermit crab families, Hapalogastridae, Lithodidae, Munididae, Munidopsidae, Chirostylidae, Hippidae, and Porcellanidae.

A separate key exists for the 3 families of hermit crabs, Diogenidae, Paguridae, and Parapaguridae. FAMILY CHIROSTYLIDAE

Taxon Authority Ortmann, 1892

Common Names pinch bugs

Geographic Range Worldwide except Arctic and Antarctic.

Description

Carapace dorsoventrally flattened, longer than wide; outer orbital spines present, or absent; sternum partially divided; sternite of P5 reduced, contiguous with preceding sternite, or absent; somite of P5 not fused with first abdominal somite.

Rostrum: overreaching distal corneal margin, or not overreaching bases of corneas, or reduced.

Eye: cornea well developed, or reduced; ocular acicles absent.

Antenna 1: flagellum biramous.

Maxilliped 3: bases close together, or bases widely separated; crista dentata present; accessory tooth absent; dactylus simple.

Pereopods: P1 chelate, equal or subequal; P2-4 all of similar form, with basis and ischium fused; dactyli of P2-3 simple;P3 about the same length as P2, or shorter t; P3 dactyli and propodi of right and left similar; P4 simple.

Abdomen: well developed, carried posteriorly or well developed, carried under thorax; with distinct somites; male pleopods 3-5 paired; pleopods 1 and 2 modified as gonopods; female with no sexual modifications.

Telson: uropods present, positioned ventrolaterally, forming tailfan; rami unmodified; with transverse suture.

References original description: Ortmann, A.E. (1892) Die Decapoden-Krebse des Strassburger Museums, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der von Herrn Dr. Döderlein bei Japan und bei den Liu-Kiu-Inseln gesammelten und zurZeitimStrassburger Museum aufbewahrten Formen. IV. Die Abtheilungen

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net'.

SCHNABEL, K.E. and AHYONG, S.T. 2010. A new classification of the Chirostyloidea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) Zootaxa 2687: 56–64 FAMILY HAPALOGASTRIDAE

Taxon Authority Brandt, 1850

Description

Carapace dorsoventrally flattened, carapace as long as or wider than long; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines absent; rostrum overreaching distal corneal margin, or not overreaching bases of corneas. Eye cornea well developed; ocular acicles absent.. Antenna 1 flagellum biramous.. Maxilliped bases widely separated; crista dentata present; accessory tooth present; dactylus simple.

Pereopod 1 chelate; cheliped right largest. Pereopods 2 to 4 pereopods 2 to 4 all of similar form; 2-4 with basis and ischium fused; dactyli of pereopods 2 to 3 simple. Pereopod 3 about the same length as pereopod 2; pereopods 3 dactyli and propodi of right and left similar. Pereopod 4 simple. Sternum partially divided; sternite of pereopod 5 reduced, contiguous with preceding sternite; somite of pereopod 5 not fused with first abdominal somite, or somite of pereopod 5 fused with first abdominal somite.

Abdomen reduced, carried under thorax, abdomen with distinct somites. Epimera (pleura) absent. Male pleopods 3-5 absent; none modified as gonopods. Male with no other sexual modifications; female with first pleopods paired and modified as gonopods. Uropods absent. Telson present, entire.

References basis of record: McLaughlin, Patsy A.; Komai, Tomoyuki; Lemaitre, Rafael; Listyo Rahayu, Dwi. (2010). Annotated checklist of anomuran decapod crustaceans of the world (exclusive of the Kiwaoidea and families Chirostylidae and Galatheidae of the Galatheoidea) Part I – Lithodoidea, Lomisoidea and Paguroidea. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement No. 23: 5-107

Patsy A. McLaughlin, Tomoyuki Komai, Rafael Lemaitre & Dwi Listyo Rahayu (2010). Part I – Lithodoidea, Lomisoidea and Paguroidea. In Martyn E. Y. Low and S. H. Tan. "Annotated checklist of anomuran decapod crustaceans of the world (exclusive of the Kiwaoidea and families Chirostylidae and Galatheidae of the Galatheoidea)". Zootaxa Suppl. 23: 5–107.

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net'. FAMILY HIPPIDAE

Taxon Authority Latreille, 1825

Common Names Mole crabs.

Geographic Range Worldwide except Arctic and Antarctic

Description

Carapace cylindrical or subcylindrical, carapace longer than wide; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines absent; rostrum reduced, or absent. Eye cornea well developed, or reduced; ocular acicles absent. Antenna 1 flagellum biramous. Maxilliped 3 bases widely separated; crista dentata absent; dactylus simple. Pereopod 1 subchelate; cheliped equal or subequal. Pereopods 2 to 4 pereopods 2 to 4 all of similar form; 2-4 with basis and ischium fused; dactyli of pereopods 2 to 3 curved and flattened. Pereopod 3 shorter than pereopod 2; pereopods 3 dactyli and propodi of right and left similar. Pereopod 4 semichelate. Sternum completely divided; sternite of pereopod 5 reduced, widely separated from preceding sternite; somite of pereopod 5 not fused with first abdominal somite. Abdomen well developed, carried under thorax, abdomen with distinct somites. Epimera (pleura) absent. Male pleopods 3-5 paired; none modified as gonopods. Male with no other sexual modifications; female with no sexual modifications. Uropods present, uropods positioned ventrolaterally, not forming tailfan; rami unmodified. Telson present, entire.

References original description: Latreille P. A. (1825). Familles naturelles du règne animal, exposé succinctement et dans un ordre analytique avec l'indication de leurs genres. J. B. Baillière Paris pp. 570: , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/16094

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net' FAMILY LITHODIDAE

Taxon Authority Samouelle, 1819

Common Names Stone and king crabs.

Description Carapace dorsoventrally flattened, carapace as long as or wider than long; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines absent; rostrum overreaching distal corneal margin, or not overreaching bases of corneas. Eye cornea well developed; ocular acicles absent. Antenna 1 flagellum biramous. Maxilliped 3 bases widely separated; crista dentata present; accessory tooth present; dactylus simple.

References

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net'. FAMILY MUNIDIDAE

Taxon Authority Ahyong, Baba, Macpherson, Poore, 2010

Common Names Squat lobster

Geographic Range

Worldwide except Arctic and Antarctic. Although a few species enter shallow water, the majority of species in the Munididae are deep-water taxa

Description

Carapace dorsoventrally flattened, carapace longer than wide; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines present, or absent; rostrum overreaching distal corneal margin. Eye cornea well developed, or reduced; ocular acicles absent. Antenna 1 flagellum biramous. Maxilliped 3 bases close together; crista dentata present; accessory tooth absent; dactylus simple.

Pereopod 1 chelate; cheliped equal or subequal. Pereopods 2 to 4 pereopods 2 to 4 all of similar form; 2-4 with basis and ischium fused; dactyli of pereopods 2 to 3 simple. Pereopod 3 about the same length as pereopod 2; pereopods 3 dactyli and propodi of right and left similar. Pereopod 4 simple. Sternum partially divided; sternite of pereopod 5 reduced, contiguous with preceding sternite; somite of pereopod 5 not fused with first abdominal somite.

Abdomen well developed, carried posteriorly or well developed, carried under thorax, abdomen with distinct somites. Epimera (pleura) present. Male pleopods 3-5 paired; pleopods 1 and 2 modified as gonopods. Male with no other sexual modifications; female with no sexual modifications. Uropods present, uropods positioned ventrolaterally, forming tailfan; rami unmodified. Telson present, partially divided longitudinally or divided into mulitple plates.

References original description: Ahyong, S.T., Baba, K., Macpherson, E. & Poore, G.C.B. (2010) A new classification of the Galatheoidea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura). Zootaxa, 2676, 57-68

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net' FAMILY MUNIDOPSIDAE

Taxon Authority Ortmann, 1898

Common Names Squat lobsters

Geographic Range Worldwide except Arctic and Antarctic

Description

Carapace dorsoventrally flattened, carapace longer than wide; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines present, or absent; rostrum overreaching distal corneal margin; rostrum well-developed, subtriangular or spiniform, supraocular spines absent. Eye cornea well developed, or reduced; ocular acicles absent. Antenna 1 flagellum biramous. Maxilliped 3 bases close together; crista dentata present; accessory tooth absent; dactylus simple.

References

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net' FAMILY PORCELLANIDAE

Taxon Authority Haworth, 1825

Common Names Porcelain crabs

Geographic Range Worldwide except Arctic and Antarctic

Description

Carapace dorsoventrally flattened, carapace as long as or wider than long; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines absent; rostrum reduced, or absent. Eye cornea well developed; ocular acicles absent. Antenna 1 flagellum reduced, vestigial or absent. Maxilliped 3 bases close together; crista dentata present; accessory tooth absent; dactylus simple.

Abdomen reduced, carried under thorax, abdomen with distinct somites. Epimera (pleura) absent. Male pleopods 3-5 absent. Male with no other sexual modifications; female with no sexual modifications. Uropods present, uropods positioned ventrolaterally, forming tailfan; rami unmodified. Telson present, divided into mulitple plates.

References basis of record: Türkay, M. (2001). Decapoda, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 284-292

McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. http://crustacea.net'