An update of phylogenetic reconstructions, classification and morphological characters of extant Portunoidea Rafinesque, 1815 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Heterotremata), with a discussion of their relevance to fossil material

Abstract

The classification of extant Portunoidea has recently been significantly rearranged on the basis of morphological revision and molecular phylogenetic reconstructions. There is an urgent need to reach compatibility of fossil portunoid taxa with this new classification. Furthermore, several genera with a variety of both Recent and fossil representatives, e.g., the genus Portunus (sensu lato), have been split into other genera, but referring fossil species to these is still problematic. In order to facilitate the development of an integrated system that includes both extant and extinct portunoid taxa, a review of recent results regarding the phylogeny of portunoid crabs, an update of their extant taxa classification and a reappraisal of important morphological characters that can be used for assessment of both fossil and contemporary species are presented. A new subfamily, Parathranitiinae, is established within the Carcinidae and within the Portunidae, another new subfamily, Achelouinae, is introduced. Integration of palaeontological data and the evolutionary classification of extant Portunoidea is a challenging task that requires further development of comparative morphological, ecological and molecular genetic studies of modern species.