Taxonomic Studies of Decapod Crustaceans

Decapod crustaceans encompass over 17 000 species of crabs, shrimps, lobsters and allied taxa that play vital roles in marine ecosystems, fisheries and conservation. Traditional taxonomy, based on detailed morphological characters of carapace, appendages and setal patterns, laid the groundwork for family-level and genus-level classifications for more than two centuries. Recent advances in molecular phylogenetics have revolutionised species delimitation and evolutionary reconstructions, revealing extensive cryptic diversity and complex biogeographical histories. Integration of high-resolution imaging techniques, such as micro-computed tomography, with multilocus genetic markers now allows researchers to describe new taxa with unprecedented precision. Contemporary studies on the phylogeography of decapods highlight the impact of palaeoclimatic events and oceanographic barriers on lineage divergence, while global biodiversity assessments quantify both described and undescribed species richness. This synergy of classical and modern approaches underpins a more complete understanding of decapod diversity, informing sustainable management of marine resources and global conservation priorities.

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Taxonomic Studies of Decapod Crustaceans publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in taxonomic studies of decapod crustaceans across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Taxonomy: The science of naming, describing and classifying organisms into a hierarchical framework.

Molecular phylogenetics: Analytical methods that infer evolutionary relationships among species using DNA or protein sequence data.

Cryptic species: Distinct evolutionary lineages that are morphologically very similar but genetically divergent.

Integrative taxonomy: A multidisciplinary approach combining morphological, molecular and often ecological data to delimit and describe species.

DNA barcoding: The use of a standardized short genetic marker in an organism’s DNA to identify it as belonging to a particular species.

References

1. Phylogenetics and Population Genetics of the Petrolisthes lamarckii–P. haswelli Complex in China: Old Lineage and New Species. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
2. Benchmarking global biodiversity of decapod crustaceans (Crustacea: Decapoda). Journal of Crustacean Biology (2023).
3. DNA barcoding and morphology revealed the existence of seven new species of squat lobsters in the family Munididae (Decapoda, Galatheoidea) in the southwestern Pacific. ZooKeys (2024).