Crustacea decapoda of French Polynesia (Astacidea, Palinuridea, Anomura, Brachyura)

Abstract

What are the decapod crustacea known from French Polynesia? The answer to this, apparently simple question, would be very helpful for determinating the species collected during ecological studies. Moreover, from a biogeographical point of view, a check list of the species reaching this area, at the eastern limit of the Indo-West Pacific province, would be very interesting. The aim of this work therefore, is to answer this question by drawing up, mainly from a compilation of systematic and ecological studies, a list of the French Polynesian crustacea, the scope of the subject being restricted to littoral and sublittoral, Palinura (Astacidea and Palinuridae), Anomura, and Bracbyura.