Family LATREILLIIDAE Stimpson, 1858

Eplumula australiensis [from Henderson 1888: pl. 2 fig. 4]

Museums

Regional Maps

• Latreillidea Stimpson, W. 1858. Crustacea Anomura: Prodromus descriptionis animalium evertebratorum, quae in Expeditione ad Oceanum Pacificum Septentrionalem, a Republica Federata missa, Cadwaladaro Ringgold et Johanne Rodgers Ducibus, observavit et descripsit W. Stimpson. Pars VII. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 10: 225-252 [226] [as Latreillidea; corrected to Latreillidae by Stebbing, T.R.R. 1902. South African Crustacea, Part II. Marine Investigations in South Africa 2: 1–92 pls 5–16 (23); International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1964. Opinion 712. Forty-seven genera of Decapod Crustacea: placed on the Official List. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 21: 336–351 [26 November 1964], Name No. 373 on Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology].

  Secondary source:

   Stebbing, T.R.R. 1902. South African Crustacea, Part II. Marine Investigations in South Africa 2: 1-92 pls 5-16; International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1964. Opinion 712. Forty-seven genera of Decapod Crustacea: placed on the Official List. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 21: 336-351 [26 November 1964].

Introduction

This is a small group of deep water crabs represented in Australian waters by two genera and two species. The most important modern revision is that of Williams (1982).

Diagnosis

Carapace longer than broad, pyriform or quadrangular; dorsal surface granular to spiny; linea anomurica (suture line) usually present, running laterally from posterior border of carapace to inner side of antennal spine. Eyes not retractile into orbits, nor antennules into sockets. Basal article of antennules subglobular. Eyestalks consist of two movable joints, a slender conspicuous basal segment and a stout terminal segment that carries the eye; basal segment markedly longer than terminal segment. Antennal flagella not much longer than carapace. Interantennular septum a distinct vertical process. Front narrow; prominent slender triangular rostrum may be bifid at tip, often with a spine on either side at base giving tridentate appearance. Division between epistome and palate distinct, palate shallowly vaulted. Third maxillipeds suboperculiform. Chelipeds and legs long and slender; without epipodites. Last pair of legs reduced in size, placed obliquely on carapace and directed upwards, subchelate to chelate, modified to carry sponges. Sternum of female broad. Abdomen of male, and usually of female, consists of seven separate segments. Gills phyllobranchiate; eight on each side. (After Alcock 1899; Sakai 1976).

General References

Alcock, A. 1899. Materials for a Carcinological Fauna of India. No. 5. Brachyura Primigenia or Dromiacea. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 68(Pt 3 No. 3): 123-169

Sakai, T. 1976. Crabs of Japan and the Adjacent Seas. Tokyo : Kodansha 3 vols xxix 773 pp. [English vol.]; 1–16, 251 pls [Plates vol.]; 461 pp. [Japanese vol.].

Williams, A.B. 1982. Revision of the genus Latreillia Roux (Brachyura: Homoloidea). Quaderni del Laboratorio di Tecnologia della Pesca 3(2–5): 227-255

History of changes