Astacidea
| Astacidea | |
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| Austropotamobius pallipes | |
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Astacidea
Latreille, 1802
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Astacidea is a group of decapod crustaceans including lobsters, crayfish and their close relatives.
Members
The infraorder Astacidea comprises five extant superfamilies, two of crayfish (Astacoidea and Parastacoidea), one of true lobsters (Nephropoidea), one of reef lobsters (the genus Enoplometopus), and a number of fossil taxa.[1] As of 2009[update], the group contains 782 recognised species, over 400 of which are in the crayfish family Cambaridae.[1] The members of the infra-order Glypheidea (containing numerous fossils and the two extant species Neoglyphea inopinata and Laurentaeglyphea neocaledonica) was formerly included here.[2]
Description
Members of the infraorder Astacidea are distinguished from most other decapods by the presence of chelae (claws) on each of the first three pairs of pereiopods (walking legs), the first of which is much larger than the remaining two pairs.[2] The last two pairs of pereiopods are simple (without claws), except in Thaumastocheles, where the fifth pereiopod may have "a minute pincer".[3]
Distribution
Members of the infraorder Astacidea are found throughout the world – both in the oceans and in fresh water – except for mainland Africa and parts of Asia.[4]
Taxonomy
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