Family XENOPHTHALMIDAE Stimpson, 1858

Museums

Regional Maps

• Xenophthalmidae Stimpson, W. 1858. Crustacea Ocypodoidea: 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 V. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 10: 93-110 [page numbers 39–56 on separate reprint] [107].
• Anomalofrontinae Rathbun, M.J. 1931. New and rare Chinese crabs. Lingnan Science Journal 8: 75-125 pls 5-15 [84].

Introduction

The Xenophthalmidae was previously treated as a subfamily of the Pinnotheridae, but is now considered a family in its own right consisting of two subfamiles, the Xenophthalminae and the Anomalifrontinae. The justification for this is given more fully in Ng et al. (2008). Only the Xenophthalminae is represented in Australian waters.

Diagnosis

Carapace subtrapezoidal, thickened; orbits placed dorsally, forming longitudinal slits in carapace at right angles to front. Epistome absent. Third maxillipeds broad, parallel; ischium and merus of similar length; palp flattened, somewhat spirally twisted, dactylus not enlarged distally. Chelipeds, even in males, smaller and weaker than walking legs. Meri of walking legs armed with row of spines along posterior margin. Abdomen with all segments distinct, narrow in both sexes. (After Sakai 1976, in part).

General References

Ng, P.K.L, Guinot, D. & Davie, P.J.F. 2008. Systema Brachyurorum: Part I. An annotated checklist of extant brachyuran crabs of the world. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 17: 1-286 [Date published 31 January 2008]

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.].

History of changes