Family Scalopidiidae Števčić, 2005

Diagnosis. Carapace subovate (Figs. 2, 4 A, C). Epistome longitudinally narrow, partially sunken into branchial cavity; posterior margin as prominent median triangle separated by distinct fissure, tip bilobed (Figs. 5). No endostomial ridges visible. Basal antennal article subrectangular, mobile; subsequent articles, flagellum in orbit (Figs. 5). Basal antennular article large, rectangular, mobile; in large, transverse antennular fossa; second antennal article elongated, longer than width of basal article, unable to fold into fossa (Figs. 5). Eye peduncle relatively stout, completely filling orbit, fused or mobile (Figs. 5). Chelipeds prominently unequal, heteromorphic in adult males (Figs. 4 B, D, 7). Ambulatory legs proportionally long; dorsal, ventral margins of first, second meri with sharp granules and/or spines; dactylus of P5 recurved (Figs. 2, 4 A, C, 8). Male thoracic sternum relatively wide, sternites 1, 2 completely fused forming triangular plate, sternite 3 separated from sternite 2 by concave suture; sternites 3, 4 fused with only lateral sutures discernible, median part depressed; sutures 4–7 medially interrupted, sternite 8 with deep longitudinal groove that does not reach suture 7/8 (Fig. 9). Sterno-abdominal cavity deep, press-button for male abdominal holding present as small rounded tubercle on posterior part of thoracic sternite 5, adjacent to suture 5/6, near edge of sterno-abdominal cavity (Fig. 1). Episternite 7 as a transversely elongated plate, covering penis as it exits coxa of P5, remaining portion of penis exposed along transverse channel or gutter, between thoracic sternites 7, 8 (Fig. 9 B, D, F, H). Penis coxo-sternal, long, exposed surfaces calcified to form tube (Fig. 9 B, D, F, H). Male abdomen T-shaped; telson subtriangular with rounded tip (Figs. 9, 10). G1 sinuous, with open tip, lateral surfaces lined with numerous short spinules (Figs. 12 A–C, E–G, 13A–C, E, F). G2 short, about a third length of G1, basal segment sinuous with dilated base, distal segment relatively short (Figs. 12 D, H, 13D, G). Adult female abdomen subovate, not covering entire surface of thoracic sternum; somites 1–6, telson free, separated from each other by deep clefts (Fig. 11 A, C, E). Female sterno-abdominal cavity relatively shallow (Fig. 11 B, D, F); vulvae relatively large, positioned on anterior half of somite 6 adjacent to suture 5/6, exposed without operculum or sternal vulvar cover (Fig. 11 B, D, F).