Majidae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of
crab
Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...
s, comprising around 200
marine species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
inside 52 genera, with a
carapace that is longer than it is broad, and which forms a point at the front. The
legs
A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ...
can be very long in some species, leading to the name "
spider crab
The Majoidea are a superfamily of crabs which includes the various spider crabs.
Taxonomy
In "''A classification of living and fossil genera of decapod crustaceans''" De Grave and colleagues divided Majoidea into six families:
* Family Epialti ...
". The
exoskeleton
An exoskeleton (from Greek ''éxō'' "outer" and ''skeletós'' "skeleton") is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to an internal skeleton (endoskeleton) in for example, a human. In usage, some of the ...
is covered with bristles to which the crab attaches
alga
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
e and other items to act as
camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...
.
Genera
The roughly 200 extant and over 50 extinct species are divided among 52 genera in 5 subfamilies:
''
Eurynolambrinae''
Števčić, 1994
*''
Eurynolambrus''
H. Milne-Edwards & Lucas, 1841
''
Majinae''
Samouelle, 1819
*''
Ageitomaia''
Griffin & Tranter, 1986
*''
Anacinetops''
Miers, 1879
*''
Choniognathus
''Choniognathus'' is a genus of crabs in the family Majidae
Majidae is a family of crabs, comprising around 200 marine species inside 52 genera, with a carapace that is longer than it is broad, and which forms a point at the front. The legs ca ...
''
Rathbun, 1932
*''
Cyclax''
Dana, 1851
*''
Entomonyx''
Miers, 1884
*''
Eurynome
Eurynomê (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυνόμη, from , ''eurys'', "broad" and , ''nomos'', "pasture" or "law") is a name that refers to the following characters in Greek mythology:
*Eurynome, pre-Olympian queen and wife of Ophion
*Eurynome (Ocean ...
''
Leach, 1814
*''
Jacquinotia''
Rathbun, 1915
*''
Kasagia''
Richer de Forges & Ng, 2007
*''
Kimbla''
Griffin & Tranter, 1986
*''
Leptomithrax
''Leptomithrax'' is a genus of crab
Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirel ...
''
Miers, 1876
*''
Maiopsis''
Faxon, 1893
*''
Maja''
Lamarck, 1801
*''
Majella''
Ortmann, 1893
*''
Microhalimus''
Haswell, 1880
*''
Naxia
''Naxia'' is a genus of crabs in the family Majidae
Majidae is a family of crabs, comprising around 200 marine species inside 52 genera, with a carapace that is longer than it is broad, and which forms a point at the front. The legs can be v ...
''
Latreille, 1825
*''
Notomithrax''
Griffin, 1963
*''
Paraentomonyx''
T. Sakai, 1983
*''
Paramithrax''
H. Milne-Edwards, 1837
*''
Pippacirama''
Griffin & Tranter, 1986
*''
Prismatopus''
Ward, 1933
*''
Schizophroida''
T. Sakai, 1933
*''
Schizophrys
''Schizophrys'' is a genus of crabs in the Family (biology), family Majidae, containing the following species:
* ''Schizophrys aspera'' (H. Milne Edwards, 1834)
* ''Schizophrys dahlak'' (Griffin & Tranter, 1986)
* ''Schizophrys dama'' (Herbst, 1 ...
''
White, 1848
*''
Seiitaoides''
Griffin & Tranter, 1986
*''
Temnonotus''
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
*''
Teratomaia''
Griffin & Tranter, 1986
*''
Thersandrus''
Rathbun, 1897
*''
Tumulosternum''
McCulloch, 1913
*''
Wilsonimaia'' †
Blow & Manning, 1996
''
Micromaiinae'' †
Beurlen, 1930
*''
Micromaia'' †
Bittner, 1875
*''
Mithracia'' †
Bell, 1858
*''
Pisomaja'' †
Lőrenthey, in Lőrenthey & Beurlen, 1929
''
Mithracinae''
MacLeay, 1838
*''
Ala Ala, ALA, Alaa or Alae may refer to:
Places
* Ala, Hiiu County, Estonia, a village
* Ala, Valga County, Estonia, a village
* Ala, Alappuzha, Kerala, India, a village
* Ala, Iran, a village in Semnan Province
* Ala, Gotland, Sweden
* Alad, S ...
''
Lockington, 1877
*''
Antarctomithrax'' †
Feldmann, 1994
*''
Coelocerus''
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
*''
Cyclocoeloma
''Cyclocoeloma'' is a genus of crabs in the family Majidae, containing the single species ''Cyclocoeloma tuberculata''.
Description
''Cyclocoeloma tuberculata'' is a small size spider crab, its carapace reach an average length of 45mm from th ...
''
Miers, 1880
*''
Cyphocarcinus''
A. Milne-Edwards, 1868
*''
Leptopisa''
Stimpson, 1871
*''
Macrocoeloma''
Miers, 1879
*''
Micippa''
Leach, 1817
*''
Microphrys''
Milne-Edwards, 1851
*''
Mithraculus''
White, 1847
*''
Mithrax''
A. G. Desmarest, 1823
*''
Nemausa''
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
*''
Paranaxia''
Rathbun, 1924
*''
Picroceroides''
Miers, 1886
*''
Stenocionops''
A. G. Desmarest, 1823
*''
Teleophrys''
Stimpson, 1860
*''
Thoe In Greek mythology, Thoe (Ancient Greek: Θόη ''Thoê'' means 'quick, nimble' or 'the runner') may refer to the following women:
*Thoe, one of the 3,000 Oceanids, water-nymph daughters of the Titans, Oceanus and his sister-spouse Tethys.
*Tho ...
''
Bell, 1836
*''
Tiarinia''
Dana, 1851
''
Planoterginae''
Števčić, 1991
*''
Hemus Hemus may refer to:
* ''Hemus'' (crab), a genus of spider crabs
* Haemus, a Thracian king in Greek mythology
* Haemus Mons, ancient name of the Balkan Mountains (Bulgaria)
* Hemus Air, a Bulgarian airline
* Hemus (publishing house), a Bulgaria ...
''
A. Milne-Edwards, 1875
*''
Planotergum''
Balss, 1935
Image:Majoidea (pe Cyclocoeloma tuberculata) Landaagiraavaru.JPG, '' Cyclocoeloma cf. tuberculata''
Image:Leptomithrax gaimardii P2023255.JPG, ''Leptomithrax gaimardii
''Leptomithrax gaimardii'' (common name - Great spider-crab) is a species of crab in the Majidae family, first described by Henri Milne-Edwards in 1834 as ''Paramithrax gaimardii,'' from a specimen (erroneously said to be) found in New Zealand w ...
''
Image:Maja squinado.jpg, ''Maja squinado
''Maja squinado'' (the European spider crab, spiny spider crab or spinous spider crab) is a species of Animal migration, migratory crab found in the north-east Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. The appearance of the European spi ...
''
Image:Micippa platipes, sur le dos.jpg, '' Micippa platipes'' (on its back)
Image:Female Mithraculus sculptus Crab.jpg, '' Mithraculus sculptus''
Image:Mithrax pilosus.jpg, '' Mithrax pilosus''
References
External links
*
*
Majoidea
Decapod families
Taxa named by George Samouelle
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