Trapeziidae Explained

Trapeziidae should not be confused with Trapezidae.

Trapeziidae is a family of crabs, commonly known as coral crabs. All the species in the family are found in a close symbiosis with cnidarians. They are found across the Indo-Pacific, and can best be identified to the species level by the colour patterns they display.^[1] Members of the family Tetraliidae were previously included in the Trapeziidae, but the similarities between the taxa is the result of convergent evolution.^[2]

Subfamilies and genera

The World Register of Marine Species lists the following subfamilies and genera:

Calocarcininae Stevcic, 2005

• Calocarcinus Calman, 1909
• Philippicarcinus Garth & Kim, 1983
• Sphenomerides Rathbun, 1897

Quadrellinae Stevcic, 2005

• Hexagonalia Galil, 1986
• Hexagonaloides Komai, Higashiji & Castro, 2010
• Quadrella Dana, 1851

Trapeziinae Miers, 1886

• Trapezia Latreille, 1828

Notes and References

1. Book: Peter Castro . Trapeziid crabs (Brachyura : Xanthoidea : Trapeziidae) of New Caledonia, eastern Australia, and the Coral Sea . B. Richer de Forges . Les fonds meubles des lagons de Nouvelle-CalMonie (Sédimentologie, Benthos) . Études & Thèses, volume 3 . Paris . . 59–107 . 2-7099-1376-3 . PDF.
2. Peter Castro, Peter K. L. Ng & Shane T. Ahyong . 2004 . Phylogeny and systematics of the Trapeziidae Miers, 1886 (Crustacea: Brachyura), with the description of a new family . . 643 . 1–70 . 1-877354-55-4 . PDF excerpt.