HIPPOIDEA Latreille, 1825

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 160

SUPERFAMILY HIPPOIDEA Latreille, 1825

The egg-like shape and flat legs of these crabs are specializations for digging into sand. The pereopods are flattened, fold against the body, and bear fringes of setae that keep sand away from the body proper. The eye shape ranges from elongate to very flat. The antennae are long and setose, providing a channel for respiration while the animal is buried. The abdomen can flap, aiding in quick backward motion. Mole crabs generally feed on small particles strained from the water or caught in the setae of the antennae during the backwash of wave action.

The three families of the mole crabs are easily distinguished by looking at the edge of the carapace and the eyestalk. Boyko (2002) monographed species assigned to the family Albuneidae and divided it into two families: the Albuneidae in s.s. and the Blepharipodidae . This work contains further synonyms, keys and illustrations.