Phylogenetic systematics of the Albuneidae (Crustacea: Anomura: Hippoidea), with the description of a new family

The anomuran sand crab family Albuneidae sensu stricto was previously known worldwide from 41 validly described Recent species in eight genera, and four fossil taxa of the genus Albunea. A worldwide revision is presented based on a comprehensive survey of the literature and examination of over 1700 specimens representing all known species. The state of taxonomic knowledge regarding the Albuneidae is summarized; the family is divided into two new subfamilies; two new genera and six new species of albuneids are described; and new information on species ranges and biology is presented. Additionally, the genera Blepharipoda Randall and Lophomastix Benedict are removed from the Albuneidae and placed in their own new family, based in part on characters of the gill formula and gill morphology. This new family contains six Recent species and one fossil taxon. Phylogenetic hypotheses about relationships within the anomuran family Albuneidae and between that family and other, closely related, anomurans were tested using morphological characters. A data matrix of 148 characters for 51 albuneids, seven blepharipodids, two hippids, three galatheoids, and Lomis was compiled and analyzed. Analyses indicate that the Albuneidae is a monophyletic grouping when the blepharipodids are excluded. All ten genera of albuneids are well-supported and form two clades at the subfamily level. Blepharipodids are retained within the Hippoidea as the most basal taxon, despite their possession of shared characters with galatheoids. It is hypothesized that the basal galatheoids, hippoids, and lomoids may share a common ancestry. An Indo-Pacific origin for the Albuneidae is proposed, based on the phylogenetic analyses as well as biogeography of the higher taxa.