Pleistacantha
Pleistacantha is a genus of crabs in the family Oregoniidae. The genus occurs throughout many coasts in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Description
Pleistacantha has a pyriform carapace which is longer than it is wide – at most long. The carapace is densely covered by spines and granules, and its walking legs are lined with spines and spinules. Its first pair of gonopods is slender and, like in all oregoniid crabs, features a longitudinal groove. Males have a tapered abdomen, and depending on the species, the sixth abdominal segment and the telson may be either separate or fused together.
Taxonomy
Pleistacantha was described by zoologist Edward J. Miers in 1879. Its name is derived from the Greek roots pleistos, a superlative meaning "many", and acantha, meaning "spine". In 2013, evidence that the family Inachoididae was not monophyletic prompted carcinologists to move Pleistacantha and several other genera into the family Oregoniidae.
Species
The following species are recognized in this genus:
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