Family CRYPTOCHIRIDAE Paul'son, 1875

<em>Hapalocarcinus marsupialis</em> dwarf male (to only about 1 mm carapace length) [from Fize & Serène 1957]

Hapalocarcinus marsupialis dwarf male (to only about 1 mm carapace length) [from Fize & Serène 1957]

<em>Hapalocarcinus marsupialis</em> female (to 6 mm carapace length) [from Fize & Serène 1957]

Hapalocarcinus marsupialis female (to 6 mm carapace length) [from Fize & Serène 1957]

Coral gall in which <em>Hapalocarcinus marsupialis</em> lives, encapsulated [from Calman 1900: pl. 3 fig. 39]

Coral gall in which Hapalocarcinus marsupialis lives, encapsulated [from Calman 1900: pl. 3 fig. 39]

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Family CRYPTOCHIRIDAE Paul'son, 1875

Compiler and date details

May 2012 - Peter Davie, Queensland Museum, Brisbane

Cryptochiridae Paul'son, O.M. 1875. Podophthalmata i Edriophthalmata (Cumacea) Part I. In, Izledovaniya Rakoobraznykh Krasnago Morya s Zamekami Otnositel'no Rakoobraznykh Drugikhv Morie. Kiev : Kul'zhenko. i-xiv 1-144 pp. pls 1-21 [reissued and translated by F.D. Por, 1961: Studies on Crustacea of the Red Sea with notes regarding other seas. Part I. Podophthalmata and Edriophthalmata (Cumacea). Jerusalem: Israel Program for Scientific Translations; published for the National Science Foundation and Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.: pp. 1–134, pls 1–21].
Lithoscaptidae Richters, F. 1880. Decapoda. In, Möbius, K.A. Beiträge zur Meeresfauna der Insel Mauritius und der Seychellen, bearbeitet von K. Möbius, F. Richters und E. von Martens. Berlin. 137-178 pls 15-18.
Haplocarcinidae Calman, W.T. 1900. On a Collection of Brachyura from Torres Straits. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 8(Zool. 1): 1-50 pls 1-3 [3, 49].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

Kropp, R.K. & Manning, R.B. 1985. Cryptochiridae, the correct name for the family containing the Gall Crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 98(4): 954-955 [954]

Introduction

The Coral Gall Crabs, family Cryptochiridae, are all obligate associates of living scleractinian corals, making galls, tunnels, or pits in the coral, and feeding on the host mucus and tissues (Kropp 1990). This family was long referred to as the Hapalocarcinidae Calman, 1900, but Kropp & Manning (1985) showed that the correct name is Cryptochiridae Paulson, 1875.

Although known worldwide, most genera are found in the Indo-West Pacic Oceans, with the Western Pacific region apparently the main centre of diversification. The most recent revision is that of Kropp (1990).

Diagnosis

Carapace narrow and more or less oblong, or semi-cylindrical, not much narrowed anteriorly. Front usually subtruncate or emarginate without a central tooth. Mandibular palp absent, cutting edge of mandible lacking processes. Maxilla 2 reduced to finger-like, undivided protopod. Maxilla 1 consisting of undivided protopod and exopod. Third maxillipeds separated at base by a sternal lobe; ischium broad, often with a convex inner lobe; merus small, much narrower than ischium, seated well back, with palp articulating in a notch at inner edge; exopod reduced and lacking flagellum, or absent. Epistome feebly developed; buccal area large and arched anteriorly. Lower border of orbit little developed. Antennae small, and not placed within the orbit. Antennules with a large prominent basal article. Chelipeds feeble, often little or no larger than first walking legs. Chelae simple with acute tips. Walking legs short, with short, sharp, hooked dactyli. Gills absent from walking legs 4 and 5. Adult female larger than male, with three pairs of pleopods occurring on abdominal somites 2–4, pleopod 4 uniramous. Female with posterior abdomen greatly expanded to form egg brood chamber, visible in dorsal view. (After Sakai 1976; Kropp & Manning 1987).