A review of the genus Eriocheir De Haan, 1835 and related genera, with the description of a new genus and a new species (Brachyura, Grapsoidea, Varunidae)

Mitten crabs (Brachyura, Varunidae, Varuninae) are currently classified into six species belonging to three genera: Eriocheir De Haan, 1835, Neoeriocheir T. Sakai, 1983, and Platyeriocheir Ng, Gun & Ng, 1999, i.e., Eriocheir japonica (De Haan, 1835), E. hepuensis Dai, 1991, E. ogasawaraensis Komai, Yamasald, Kobayashi, Yamamoto & Watanabe, 2006, and E. sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853; Neoeriocheir leptognatha (Rathbun, 1913); and Platyeriocheir formosa (Chan, Hung & Yu, 1995). The results of the present study, however, indicate a reclassification into four genera including one new genus, together lodging seven species, including one new species, and with an eighth currently nameless species remaining as a species inquirenda, as follows: Eriocheir De Haan, 1835, with E. japonica (De Haan, 1835) and E. ogasawaraensis Komai et al., 2006; Paraeriocheir gen. nov., with P. hepuensis (Dai, 1991) and P. sinensis (H. Milne Edwards, 1853); Platyeriocheir Ng et al., 1999, with P. formosa (Chan et al., 1995) and P guangdonga sp. nov.; and Neoeriocheir T. Sakai, 1983, with N. leptognatha (Rathbun, 1913); under the prevailing circumstances, the species now indicated as Eriocheir sp. [= Eriocheir recta sensu Stimpson, 1858] is to be considered a species inquirenda.