Family DOMECIIDAE Ortmann, 1893

Domecia hispida [from Borradaile 1902: fig. 41E]

Museums

Regional Maps

• Domoeciinae Ortmann, A.E. 1893. Abtheilung: Brachyura (Brachyura genuina Boas) II. Unterabtheilung: Cancroidea, 2. Section: Cancrinea, 1. Gruppe: Clyclometopa. Die Decapoden-Krebse des Strassburger Museums, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der von Herrn Dr Döderlein bei Japan und bei den Liu-Kiu-Inseln gesammelten und zur Zeit im Strassburger Museum aufbewahrten Formen, VII. Theil. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 7: 411-495 pl. 17 [429, 478].

• Davie, P. 2002. Crustacea: Malacostraca: Eucarida (Part 2): Decapoda—Anomura, Brachyura. In Wells, A. & Houston, W.W.K. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 19.3B. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing, Australia xiv 641 pp. [153] (raised to full family status)

Introduction

In Australian waters this small family is represented by a single genus, Domecia Eydoux & Souleyet, 1842, with two described species. Both are small (less than 10 mm across the carapace) and typically are associated with coral. Most domeciids are Indo-west Pacific in distribution, although Domecia hispida is also known from the Atlantic coasts of the Americas, from South Carolina to Brazil and the West Indies.

Domeciids are allied with other members of the superfamily Xanthoidea, and have most recently been treated as a subfamily of the Trapeziidae (Serène 1984). However, the differences in external morphology between the two groups are very great, and I believe that similarities in mouthparts and claws are convergent, being adaptations to living in coral, rather than reflecting monophyly. Therefore, I have chosen to give this taxon full family status. Other genera included in the family are Jonesius Sankarankutty, 1962, Maldivia Borradaile, 1902, and Palmyria Galil & Takeda, 1986.

Diagnosis

Carapace xanthoid in outline, not noticeably flattened dorso-ventrally; surface without traces of regions; front slightly bilobed, margin granular or spinose. Antennules folding transversely. Third maxilliped with merus very short; much broader than long. Second maxilliped with endopod having propodus and dactylus fused into a very large endite. Chelipeds strongly unequal; merus short; surface of palm spinose or strongly granular; tips of fingers pointed. Walking legs with dactylo-propodal articulation formed by rounded prolongation of propodal lateral margin sliding against and beneath a projecting button situated proximally on lateral margin of dactylus; dactyl forming long, curved claw. Male abdomen 5-segmented, segments 3–5 fused, but sutures may be visible. Male genital openings coxal; female openings sternal.

General References

Serène, R. 1984. Crustacés Décapodes Brachyoures de l'Océan Indien occidental et de la Mer Rouge. Xanthoidea: Xanthidae et Trapeziidae. Avec un addendum par Crosnier, A.: Carpilliidae et Menippidae. Faune Tropicale 24: 1-400 figs A-C, 1-243 pls 1-48

History of changes