Trogloplacinae Guinot, 1986

Ng, Peter K. L. & Castro, Peter, 2016, Revision of the family Chasmocarcinidae Serène, 1964 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Goneplacoidea), Zootaxa 4209 (1), pp. 1-182 : 130-131

Subfamily Trogloplacinae Guinot, 1986

Trogloplacinae Guinot, 1986: 307 .—Ng et al. 2008: 27, 76 [in list], 76 [discussion].— De Grave et al. 2009: 33 [in list].— Davie et al. 2015c: 1082.— Števčić, 2013: 186.

Trogloplacidae Davie, 2002: 503 .

Trogloplacoidea Števčić, 2013: 186.

Diagnosis. Antennular peduncle rectangular, not swollen, leaving gap to partially fit antennular flagellum. Vulvae conspicuously large, occupying complete width of thoracic sternite 5. Large eggs, direct development. G2 longer than G1. Wholly freshwater, including inland caves.

Type genus. Trogloplax Guinot, 1986

Other genus included:

Australocarcinus Davie, 1988

Remarks. This subfamily, originally treated as a subfamily of Goneplacidae sensu lato ( Guinot 1986, 1987) for Trogloplax Guinot, 1986 , was subsequently treated as a separate family by Davie (2002) and as superfamily Trogloplacoidea, without an explanation, by Števčić (2013). It is now placed in the Chasmocarcinidae mostly on account of the presence of a “supplementary plate” (see Ng et al. 2008 and Introduction above). It is set apart from Chasmocarciniinae by having a rectangular, non-swollen antennular peduncle that leaves a gap that partially fits the antennular flagellum, and by the unique freshwater habitat of its members, which implicates direct development. Eggs hatch as megalopae, which are retained in the female pleon (see Davie & Guinot 1996: fig. 2).

Jamieson & Guinot (1996: 289) described the sperm of A. riparius and commented that it did not show any clear affinity to known Heterotremata (see also Jamieson & Tudge, 2000: 64). The sperm of more trogloplacines (and chasmocarcinids) will be need to be studied before more can be said.