The Panopeidae are a family containing 26 genera of morphologically similar crabs, often known as "mud crabs". Their centers of diversity are the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Panopeidae
Dyspanopeus sayi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Superfamily: Xanthoidea
Family: Panopeidae
Ortmann, 1893 [1]
Synonyms [2]

Eucratopsidae Stimpson, 1871 (nom. rej.)

Lophopanopeus bellus, Black-clawed crab, San Luis Obispo County, California

Distribution

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Most members of the family Panopeidae live in the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean. Only one species occurs in Australian waters – Homoioplax haswelli.[2]

Ecology

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The various genera of the Panopeidae are morphologically similar, partly as a result of many instances of convergent evolution to similar habitats and food preferences.[3]

Crabs of the family Panopeidae are all free-living (not commensal or parasitic),[2] and typically live in soft-bottomed parts of the ocean,[3] lending them the common name "mud crabs" (a name also shared by other organisms). They burrow into the sediment and feed on a variety of marine invertebrates.[3]

Genera

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The World Register of Marine Species lists these subfamilies and genera:[1]

Eucratopsinae Stimpson, 1871

Panopeinae Ortmann, 1893

References

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  1. ^ a b Davie, P. (2015). "Panopeidae Ortmann, 1893". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
  2. ^ a b c P. J. F. Davie (2002). "Panopeidae". Crustacea: Malocostraca: Eucarida (Part 2), Decapoda: Anomura, Brachyura. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 19. Canberra, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 372–374. ISBN 978-0-643-06792-9.
  3. ^ a b c C. D. Schubart, J. E. Neigel & D. L. Felder (2000). "Molecular phylogeny of mud crabs (Brachyura: Panopeidae) from the northwestern Atlantic and the role of morphological statis and convergence" (PDF). Marine Biology. 137 (1): 11–18. doi:10.1007/s002270000325.
  4. ^ Felder, Darryl L.; Thoma, Brent P. (2020-09-03). "A new genus and species of mud crab (Crustacea, Brachyura, Panopeidae) from shoreline waters of the western Gulf of Mexico". Zootaxa. 4845 (3): 425–435. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4845.3.7. ISSN 1175-5334.