LEPTASTACIDAE Lang, 1948 sensu Huys, 1992

[under construction]



The family Leptastacidae presently includes 18 genera, with species inhabiting interstitial of sandy beaches or subtidal habitats. The family is most prolific in the Mediterranean, where seven genera have been recorded thus far, viz. Leptastacus, Paraleptastacus, Psammastacus, Minervella, Psamathea, Archileptastacus and Meloriastacus.

The last two genera are of remarkable phylogenetic interest, representing the most primitive lineage in the family, displaying unique plesiomorphic features regarding the antenna and the legs 1-2 endopod armature.



AFROLEPTASTACUS Huys, 1992

AQUILASTACUS Huys & Conroy-Dalton, 2005

ARCHILEPTASTACUS Huys, 1992

ARENOCARIS Nicholls, 1935

ARENOTOPA Chappuis & Rouch, 1960

BELEMNOPONTIA Huys, 1992

CERCONEOTES Huys, 1992

LEPTASTACUS T. Scott, 1906

MELORIASTACUS Huys & Todaro, 1997

MEMBRANASTACUS Huys, 1992

MINERVELLA Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989

NEOPSAMMASTACUS Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989

PARALEPTASTACUS Wilson, 1932

PSAMATHEA Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989

PSAMMASTACUS Nicholls, 1935

SCHIZOTHRIX Huys, 1992

STEREOXIPHOS Huys & Conroy-Dalton, 2005

SEXTONIS Huys, 1992





AFROLEPTASTACUS Huys, 1992


  • Afroleptastacus clandestinus Huys, 1992
  • Afroleptastacus remanei (Noodt, 1964)


    ARCHILEPTASTACUS Huys, 1992


  • Archileptastacus dichatoensis (Mielke. 1985)


    ARENOCARIS Nicholls, 1935


  • Arenocaris bifida Huys, 1992
  • Arenocaris reducta Huys, 1992


    ARENOTOPA Chappuis & Rouch, 1960


  • Arenotopa dyadacantha Wells & Rao, 1987
  • Arenotopa ghanai Chapppuis & Rouch, 1960
  • Arenotopa rossii Cottarelli , 1977


    BELEMNOPONTIA Huys, 1992


  • Belemnopontia dispinosa (Mielke, 1982)
  • Belemnopontia panamensis (Mielke, 1983)


    CERCONEOTES Huys, 1992


  • Cerconeotes constrictus (Lang, 1965)
  • Cerconeotes japonicus (Itô, 1968)
  • Cerconeotes jenneri (Mielke, 1983)
  • Cerconeotes mozambicus (Wells ,1967)


    MEMBRANASTACUS Huys, 1992


  • Membranastacus inopinatus Huys, 1992


    NEOPSAMMASTACUS Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989


  • Neopsammastacus spinicauda Huys, 1992
  • Neopsammastacus spinicaudatus (Wells & Rao, 1987)


    PSAMATHEA Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989


  • Psamathea nautarum Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989


    PSAMMASTACUS Nicholls, 1935


  • Psammastacus confluens Nicholls, 1935


    SCHIZOTHRIX Huys, 1992


  • Schizothrix ctenata (Mielke, 1982)


    LEPTASTACUS T. Scott, 1906


  • Leptastacus aberrans dichatoensis Mielke 1985
  • Leptastacus dispinosus Mielke 1982
  • Leptastacus dispinosus panamensis Mielke 1983
  • Leptastacus constrictus Lang 1965
  • Leptastacus japonicus Itô 1968
  • Leptastacus jenneri Lindgren 1975
  • Leptastacus mozambicus Wells 1967
  • Leptastacus coulli Huys 1992
  • Leptastacus corsicaensis Huys 1992
  • Leptastacus kwintei Huys 1992
  • Leptastacus laticaudatus Lang 1948
  • Leptastacus macronyx Lang 1948
  • Leptastacus spatuliseta Mielke 1982
  • Leptastacus uncinatus Cottarelli & Venanzetti 1989
  • Leptastacus christelleae Bodiou+Colomines 1989
  • Leptastacus wieseri Chappuis 1958
  • Leptastacus ctenatus Mielke 1982
  • Leptastacus rostratus Nicholls 1940
  • Leptastacus incurvatus chilensis Mielke 1985
  • Leptastacus incurvatus Lang 1965
  • Leptastacus laminaserrata Mielke 1985
  • Leptastacus mehuinensis Mielke 1985
  • Leptastacus mehuinensis Mielke 1985
  • Leptastacus incurvatus chilensis Mielke 1987
  • Leptastacus delamarei Rouch 1962



    PARALEPTASTACUS Wilson, 1932

  • Paraleptastacus brevicaudatus Lang, 1948
  • Paraleptastacus espinulatus Nicholls, 1935
  • Paraleptastacus holsaticus Kunz, 1937
  • Paraleptastacus katamensis Lang, 1948
  • Paraleptastacus laurenticus Nicholls. 1940
  • Paraleptastacus longicaudatus Nicholls, 1940
  • Paraleptastacus monensis Whybrew. 1986
  • Paraleptastacus spinicauda Lang, 1948
  • Paraleptastacus supralittoralis Mielke, 1975
  • Paraleptastacus triseta (Noodt, 1954)
  • Paraleptastacus unisetosus Itô, 1972
  • Paraleptastacus wilsoni Whybrew, 1986



    SEXTONIS Huys, 1992

  • Sextonis chilensis (Mielke, 1985)
  • Sextonis delamarei (Rouch, 1962)
  • Sextonis incurvatus (Lang. 1965)
  • Sextonis laminaserratus (Mielke, 1985)
  • Sextonis mehuinensis (Mielke, 1985)



    MELORIASTACUS Huys & Todaro, 1997 [PDF]

  • Meloriastacus ctenidis Huys & Todaro, 1997 [Italy; Meloria Shoals, interstitial] [PDF]



    STEREOXIPHOS Huys & Conroy-Dalton, 2005 [PDF]

  • Stereoxiphos operculatus (Marsy, 1970) [Israel; marine interstitial] [PDF]



    AQUILASTACUS Huys & Conroy-Dalton, 2005 [PDF]

  • Aquilastacus serratus Huys & Conroy-Dalton, 2005 [North Sea; sandy sediments] [PDF]


    MINERVELLA Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989

  • Minervella baccettii Cottarelli & Venanzetti, 1989
  • Minervella perplexa (Wells & Clark. 1965)





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