The taxonomy of three commercially important species of mitten crabs of the genus Eriocheir de haan, 1835 (crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Grapsidae)

Abstract

The southern Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir hepuensis Dai, 1991, whose taxonomic status has been subjected to some debate, is here regarded as a valid species. This taxon differs from Eriocheir sinensis and E. japonica in the form of its carapace, cheliped, ambulatory leg, abdomen, male first pleopod, female gonopore as well as its distribution. Our study shows that the genus Eriocheir s. str. contains only three species, E. japonica (de Haan, 1835) (type species), E. sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1854, and E. hepuensis Dai, 1991, with Eriocheir leptognathus Rathbun, 1913, and Eriocheir formosa Chan, Hung & Yu, 1995, transferred to other genera. The different E. sinensis forms reported by Panning (1933, 1938) were re-examined and their taxonomy discussed.