Study On The Taxonomy And Zoogeography Of Families Galatheidae And Chirostylidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheoidea) From Chinese Waters

Galatheidae and Chirostylidae are two important and commen families which belong to Infraorder Galatheoidea, Order Decapoda, Subphylum Crustacea. Squat lobsters are abundant, speciose and distributed worldwide. They occur in all marine habitats, including anchialine caves and hydrothermal vent areas, and at depths ranging from the surface of the sea to more than 5000 m. Most species are important benthic Crustacea and as important roles in the marine ecosystems. Few representatives of these families are economically important. These two families are Anomura between Macrura and Brachyura. Morphological characters and phylogenesis are special. However, the knowledge of these two families from Chinese waters is poor and there have no systematical studies on their Chinese faunas appeared, except Taiwan.Based on about 500 specimens mainly deposited in the Marine Biolobical Museum, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this thesis deals with a comprehensive research of the taxonomy and zoogeography of Galatheidae and Chirostylidae from Chinese waters. The specimens examined were collected from the East China Sea and South China Sea, including specimens from China-Philippine deep-sea expedition.After carefully examined the specimens and reading correlated literature, 71 species belonging to 19 genera are identified, including 4 new species and 34 species recorded for the first time from the Chinese waters. Detailed descriptions, illustrations and distributions of all the identified species are provided in the present paper. Keys to the species and genera are given.