Portunidae is a family of crabs which contains the swimming crabs. Its members include well-known shoreline crabs such as the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and velvet crab (Necora puber).

Description

Portunid crabs are characterised by the flattening of the fifth pair of legs into broad paddles, which are used for swimming.[1] This ability, together with their strong, sharp claws, allows many species to be fast and aggressive predators.[1]

Taxonomy

Swimming crabs reach their greatest species diversity in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.[citation needed] Portunidae consists of the following subfamilies and genera:[2][a]

Achelouinae Spiridonov, 2020
Caphyrinae Guérin, 1832
Carupinae Paulson, 1875
Coelocarcininae Števćić, 1991
Lupocyclinae Alcock, 1899
Necronectinae Glaessner, 1928
Podophthalminae Dana, 1851
Portuninae Rafinesque, 1815
Thalamitinae Paulson, 1875
incertae sedis

Notes

  1. ^ Extinct genera are marked with an obelisk.

References

  1. ^ a b Davie, Peter J. F. (2002). "Portunidae". Crustacea: Malocostraca: Eucarida (Part 2), Decapoda—Anomura, Brachyura. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 19.3B. CSIRO Publishing. pp. 442–446. ISBN 978-0-643-05677-0.
  2. ^ Boyko, Christopher B. (18 July 2022). "Portunidae Rafinesque, 1815". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  • Media related to Portunidae at Wikimedia Commons
  • Data related to Portunidae at Wikispecies
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_crab
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