Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

<em>Metacarcinus novaezelandiae</em> [from Dell 1963: p. 42]

Metacarcinus novaezelandiae [from Dell 1963: p. 42]

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Family CANCRIDAE Latreille, 1803


Compiler and date details

May 2012 - Peter Davie, Queensland Museum, Brisbane

 

Introduction

The family Cancridae reaches its highest diversity in Northern Hemisphere temperate waters. Although Cancridae are known from several fossil genera in two subfamilies (Glaessner 1969), the modern fauna has been long considered to be represented by only Cancer Linnaeus (Nations 1975, 1979). Nations (1975) did however recognise a number of subgenera. The systematics of the Cancridae were recently reviewed by Schweitzer & Feldmann (2000), and these authors have elevated the older available generic and subgeneric names to full generic status, as well as describing three new genera for recent and fossil species. Only two species of cancrid occur in Australian waters. Metacarcinus novaezelandiae appears to have been introduced from New Zealand. Davie (1991) resurrected Platepistoma Rathbun to accommodate a number of deep water species from the Indo-Pacific, including a new species from seamounts off eastern Australia. Schweitzer & Feldmann (2000: 249-250) have provided a key to recent and fossil genera..

 

Diagnosis

Carapace broadly oval; anterolateral margins strongly convex, dentate; posterolateral margins short; front narrow, usually with teeth either side of median tooth which may be displaced ventrally; orbits small; antennules folding longitudinally or a little obliquely; basal antennal article longer than broad, flagellum short, more or less setose; epistome narrow. Third maxillipeds may overlap endostome. Chelipeds massive, subequal, similar in both sexes. Walking legs laterally compressed to more or less cylindrical; dactyli styliform. Male abdomen with third to fifth segments fused. Sternum relatively narrow; female genital openings sternal, male openings coxal. Male first gonopod stout, straight, tapered; second gonopod slender, and of similar length.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
04-Jun-2012 04-Jun-2012 MOVED
10-May-2012 10-May-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)