Anomura: Families

P. McLaughlin, S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry


Parapaguridae Smith, 1882

Common name. Deep water hermit crabs.

Description. Carapace cylindrical or subcylindrical, carapace longer than wide or as long as or wider than long; carapace with linea anomurica; outer orbital spines absent; rostrum reduced. Eye cornea well developed, or reduced, or absent; ocular acicles present. Antenna 1 flagellum biramous. Maxilliped 3 bases widely separated; crista dentata present; accessory tooth present; dactylus simple.

Pereopod 1 chelate; cheliped right largest. Pereopods 2 to 4 pereopods 2 to 4 all of similar form; 2-4 with basis and ischium fused; dactyli of pereopods 2 to 3 simple. Pereopod 3 about the same length as pereopod 2, or noticably longer than pereopod 2; pereopods 3 dactyli and propodi of right and left similar. Pereopod 4 semichelate. Sternum partially divided; sternite of pereopod 5 reduced, widely separated from preceding sternite; somite of pereopod 5 not fused with first abdominal somite.

Abdomen reduced, carried posteriorly, abdomen with indistinct somites. Epimera (pleura) absent. Male pleopods 3-5 unpaired; none modified as gonopods, or pleopod 1 with one or both modified as gonopods, or pleopod 2 with one or both modified as gonopods, or pleopods 1 and 2 modified as gonopods. Male with no other sexual modifications; female with single gonopore. Uropods present, uropods positioned ventrolaterally, not forming tailfan; rami with propodal rasps. Telson present, entire.

Larval development. Metamorphic.

Superfamily composition. Paguroidea.

Generic composition. Bivalvopagurus, Oncopagurus Lemaitre, 1996; Paragiopagurus Lemaitre, 1996; Parapagurus Smith, 1879; Probeebei Boone, 1926; Strobopagurus, Sympagurus Smith, 1884; Tsunogaipagurus, Tylaspis Henderson, 1888; Typhlopagurus.

Habitat. Marine.

Distribution. Worldwide except Arctic and Antarctic.



Cite this publication as: ' McLaughlin, P., S. Ahyong & J.K. Lowry (2002 onwards). 'Anomura: Families.' Version: 2 October 2002. https://crustacea.net'.