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Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Monophyly and phylogenetic origin of the gall crab family Cryptochiridae (Decapoda : Brachyura)

Sancia E. T. van der Meij A C and Christoph D. Schubart B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Marine Zoology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.

B Biologie 1, Institut für Zoologie, Universität Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.

C Corresponding author. Email: sancia.vandermeij@naturalis.nl

Invertebrate Systematics 28(5) 491-500 https://doi.org/10.1071/IS13064
Submitted: 20 December 2013  Accepted: 26 June 2014   Published: 13 November 2014

Journal Compilation © CSIRO Publishing 2014 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

The enigmatic gall crab family Cryptochiridae has been proposed to be phylogenetically derived from within the Grapsidae (subsection Thoracotremata), based on the analysis of 16S mtDNA of one cryptochirid, Hapalocarcinus marsupialis, among a wide array of thoracotremes, including 12 species of the family Grapsidae. Here, we test the monophyly and phylogenetic position of Cryptochiridae using the same gene, but with an extended representation of cryptochirids spanning nine species in eight of 21 genera, in addition to further thoracotreme representatives. The results show that gall crabs form a highly supported monophyletic clade within the Thoracotremata, which evolved independently of grapsid crabs. Therefore, the Cryptochiridae should not be considered as highly modified Grapsidae, but as an independent lineage of Thoracotremata, deserving its current family rank. Further molecular and morphological studies are needed to elucidate the precise placement of the cryptochirids within the Eubrachyura.

Additional keywords: 16S mtDNA, coral-associated organisms, evolutionary origin, superfamily.


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