Cryptochiridae

Cryptochiridae is a family of crabs known commonly as gall crabs or coral gall crabs. They live inside dwellings in corals and cause the formation of galls in the coral structure.^[1][2] The family is currently placed in its own superfamily, Cryptochiroidea.

Gall crabs are sexually dimorphic, with males much smaller than females. Contrary to females, most males are free-living and "visit" females for mating.^[1][3]

These crabs are most common in shallow waters in association with stony corals, but have also been found in mesophotic zones and deep waters.^[4] They likely feed on mucus secreted by the coral galls, as well as various detritus. Some species are thought to be filter feeders. ^[1]

Because crab size is related to gall size, it is likely that the crabs form the galls, rather than living randomly in a dwelling within a coral. Related groups of gall crab taxa share a similar gall type, suggesting that the crabs influence the morphology of the galls.^[5]

The family contains the following twenty-one genera:^[6][7]

References

Superfamilies of Infraclass Brachyura (true crabs)
Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class Malacostraca Order Decapoda Suborder Pleocyemata
Dromiacea	Dakoticancroidea† Dromioidea Glaessneropsoidea† Homolodromioidea Homoloidea
Raninoida	Raninoidea
Cyclodorippoida	Cyclodorippoidea
Eubrachyura	Heterotremata Aethroidea Bellioidea Bythograeoidea Calappoidea Cancroidea Carpilioidea Cheiragonoidea Componocancroidea† Corystoidea Dairoidea Dorippoidea Eriphioidea Gecarcinucoidea Goneplacoidea Hexapodoidea Leucosioidea Majoidea Orithyioidea Palicoidea Parthenopoidea Pilumnoidea Portunoidea Potamoidea Pseudothelphusoidea Pseudozioidea Retroplumoidea Trapezioidea Trichodactyloidea Xanthoidea Thoracotremata Cryptochiroidea Grapsoidea Ocypodoidea Pinnotheroidea