Academic Scientific JournalsNew record of bristly crab, Pilumnus hirtellus (Linnaeus, 1761) (decapoda: pilumnidae) in Vellar estuary, Tamilnadu, Southeastern India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26881/oahs-2025.1.19Keywords:
bristly crab, Pilumnus, Vellar estuary, morphology, oyster bedAbstract
This study provides the initial documentation of the bristly crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, within Vellar estuary on India’s southeastern coastline, which was collected between January and March 2025. The species was discovered inhabiting oyster beds. Sex was determined based on the size of the major chela and the presence of egg masses, and all individuals were confirmed to be sexually mature. Detailed morphological examinations affirmed their identity as P. hirtellus through comparisons with allied taxa. Historically, this species has been recorded across the North Sea to Morocco, including various Atlantic and Mediterranean islands, and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas. This report represents a notable range expansion of P. hirtellus to Indian coastal waters.
Downloads
References
Ajmal Khan, S., Raffi, S. M., & Lyla, P. S. (2005). Brachyuran crab diversity in natural (Pitchavaram) and artificially developed mangroves (Vellar estuary). Current Science, 88(8), 1316–1324. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24110305
Apel, M. (2001). Taxonomie und Zoogeographie der Brachyura, Paguridea und Porcellanidae (Crustacea: Decapoda) des Persisch-Arabischen Golfes. Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften vorgelegt beim Fachbereich Biologie der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, 268 pp.
Băcescu, M. C. (1967). Crustacea decapoda. Fauna republicii socialiste Romnia, 4(9), 1–351.
Balss, H. (1933). Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Gattung Pilumnus (Crustacea, Decapoda) und verwandter Gattungen. Capita Zoology, 4(3), 1-47pls41–17.
Chopra, B., & Das, K. N. (1937). Further notes on crustacea decapoda in the Indian museum. IX on three collections of crabs from Tavoy and Mergui archipelago. Records of Indian Museum (Calcutta), 39(4), 377–434. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v39/i4/1937/162281
d’Udekem d’Acoz, C. (1994). Contribution a la connaissance des crustaces decapodes Helleniques I: Brachyura. Bios, 1(2), 9–47.
d’Udekem d’Acoz, C. (1999). Inventaire et distribution des crustacés dcapodes de l’Atlantique nord-oriental, de la Mediterranee et des eaux continentales adjacentes au nord de 25ºN. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, Vol. 40, 1-383. Museum national d’Histoire naturelle. Paris.
Deb, M. (1987). Description of seven new species and one new record of pilumnidae: xanthidae: decapoda: crustacea from India. Bulletin Zoological Survey of India, 8(1-3), 299–312.
Fahimi, N., Zolgharnein, H., Keykhosravi, A., & Naderloo, R. (2021). Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Pilumnus Leach, 1815 (eucrustacea: brachyura: pilumnidae) in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 291, 7–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2020.12.001
Holthuis, L. B., & Gottlieb, E. (1958). An annotated list of the decapod crustacea of the Mediterranean coast of Israel, with an appendix listing the decapoda of the Eastern Mediterranean. Bulletin Research Council Israel,(B) 7(1-2), 1–126.
Kaarmugilan, P., & Thangaraj, M. (2025). Sexual dimorphism and length weight relationship in chestnut crab, Cardisoma carnifex Herbst, 1796 (decapoda: gecarcinidae) of Parangipettai stock, Tamilnadu, India. Arthropods, 14(2), 41–57.
Komai, T., & Motoh, H. (2012). The identity of Pilumnus dofleini Balss, 1933 (crustacea: decapoda: brachyura: pilumnidae), with descriptions of three new species from the Western Pacific. Zootaxa, 3305, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3305.1.1
Koukouras, A., Dounas, C., Türkay, M., & Voultsiadou-Koukoura, E. (1992). Decapod crustacean fauna of the Aegean Sea: New information, check list, affinities. Seckenbergiana Maritima, 22(3-6), 217–244.
Lobo, J., Costa, P. M., Teixeira, M. A., Ferreira, M. S., Costa, M. H., & Costa, F. O. (2013). Enhanced primers for amplification of DNA barcodes from a broad range of marine metazoans. BMC Ecology, 13, 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-13-34
Manikantan, G., PrasannaKumar, C., Vijaylaxmi, J., Pugazhvendan, S. R., & Prasanthi, N. (2020). Diversity, phylogeny and DNA barcoding of brachyuran crabs in artificially created mangrove environments. bioRxiv, 286823. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.07.286823
Mavidis, M., Kitsos, M. S., Türkay, M., & Koukouras, A. (2009). The taxonomical status of the genus Pilumnus Leach, 1815 (pilumnidae, decapoda, crustacea) in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on three species in the Aegean Sea. Journal of Biological Research - Thessaloniki, 11, 13–20.
Naderloo, R. (2017). Atlas of crabs of the Persian Gulf (p. 298–305). Springer. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49374-9
Ng, P. K. (1988). The Indo-Pacific pilumnidae V. Three new species of Pilumnus Leach, 1815 (crustacea: decapoda: brachyura) from Singapore, Vietnam and Japan. Indo-Malayan Zoology, 5, 295–306.
Ng, P. K., Guinot, D., & Davie, P. J. (2007). Systema Brachyurorum: Part I. An annotated checklist of extant brachyuran crabs of the world. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 17, 1–286.
Oliveira-Biener, U., Melzer, R. R., & Miller, M. A. (2010). Pilumnus Leach (decapoda: pilumnidae samouelle) from Mediterranean and adjacent Atlantic waters: A COI analysis. Invertebrate Systematics, 24(2), 182–193. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS09051
Pastore, M. A. (1972). Decapoda crustacea in the Gulf of Taran to and the Gulf of Catania with a discussion of a new species of dromiidae (decapoda, brachyura) in the Mediterranean Sea. Thalassia Jugoslavica, 8(1), 105–117.
Sankarankutty, C., & Fosshagen, A. (1967). Pilumnus hirtellus (L.), A xanthid crab new to Norwegian waters. Sarsia, 30(1), 29–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/00364827.1967.10411100
Schubart, C. D., & Aichinger, B. E. (2014). Determination of evolutionary units in European representatives of the crab genus Pilumnus. Central European Journal of Biology, 9(1), 104–113. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11535-013-0242-5
Stevcic, Z. (1990). Check-list of the Adriatic decapod cructacea. Acta Adriatica, 31(1-2), 183–274.
Takeda, M., & Miyake, S. (1968). Pilumnid crabs of the family xanthidae from the West Pacific: I. Twenty-three species of the genus Pilumnus, with description of 4 new species. OHMU, Occasional Papers of Zoological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, 1(1), 1e60.
Türkay, M. (2001). Decapoda, In: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: A check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50, 284–292.
Türkay, M., Fisher, G., & Neumann, V. (1987). List of the marine crustacea decapoda of the Northern Sporades (Aegean Sea) with systematic and zoogeographic remarks. Investigacion Pesquera, 51, 87–109.
Zariquiey Alvarez, R. (1968). Crustaceos decapodos Ibericos. Investigacion Pesquera, 32, 1–510.
