NEW DATA ON PRIMITIVE CRABS (CRUSTACEA DE CAPODA BRACHYURA PODOTREMATA)

Preliminary results concerning three families of the Brachyura Podotre mata are presented. In the Dynomenidae, thanks to recent captures in N ew Caledonia, the genus Paradynomene Sakai is compared to other member s of the family. Described or confirmed in the Homolodromiidae are : t he presence in the male of abdominal segments frequently provided with rudimentary pleopods on somites 3-5 and extended by inclined pleura ; in both sexes, the absence of vestigial uropods intercalated dorsally and their replacement by a small platelet inserted ventrally. Three n ew taxa are described: Homolodromia kai sp. nov. and Dicranodromia kar ubar sp. nov. from Indonesia, D. foersteri sp. nov. from Chesterfield Islands. The placement of the family Dakoticancridae, only known from North American Cretaceous fossils, in the Podotremata is confirmed (pr esence of one pair of spermathecae), and the numerous peculiarities of the group are discussed.