A new genus and two new species of unusual dromiid crabs (Brachyura: Dromiidae) from northern Australia
Abstract
A new genus, Desmodromia n.gen., and two new species of dromiid crabs are described from northern Australia. In Desmodromia the rostrum is tridentate, the anterolateral teeth are well developed, the last two pairs of legs have no opposing propodal spines, and the dactyli on these limbs are rotated. The new genus is similar to Epipedodromia Andre, 1932 and Homalodromia Miers, 1884, but may differ from them in using bivalve shells for camouflage instead of sponges. Desmodromia shares some pereopod characters with the shell-carrying genus Hypoconcha Guerin-Meneville, 1854, but these characters probably evolved independently.
