Squat lobsters are dorsoventrally flattened crustaceans with long tails held curled beneath the cephalothorax. They are found in the two superfamilies Galatheoidea and Chirostyloidea, which form part of the decapod infraorder Anomura, alongside groups including the hermit crabs and mole crabs. They are distributed worldwide in the oceans, and occur from near the surface to deep sea hydrothermal vents, with one species occupying caves above sea level. More than 900 species have been described, in around 60 genera. Some species form dense aggregations, either on the sea floor or in the water column, and a small number are commercially fished.
The family Polychelidae contains thirty-eight extant species of blind, benthic lobster-like crustaceans. They are found throughout the world's tropical, sub-tropical and temperate oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Irish Sea.
Galathea is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Galatheidae. It is one of the largest genera of squat lobsters that in 2008 contained 73 species. Most species of Galathea live in shallow waters.
Munidopsis serricornis is a species of squat lobster. It is widely distributed in the world's oceans, being found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the western Atlantic Ocean, and the Indo-Pacific. It grows up to a carapace length of 20 millimetres (0.8 in).
Munida is the largest genus of squat lobsters in the family Munididae, with over 240 species.
Eumunida is a genus of squat lobsters. The majority of its species are from the Pacific Ocean and are as follows:
Nanogalathea is a genus of squat lobster from the Bay of Bengal. Two species in the genus Nanogalathea.
Gastroptychus is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Chirostylidae, containing the following species:
Uroptychodes is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Chirostylidae, containing the following species:
Uroptychus is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Chirostylidae found across the Indo-Pacific. The genus Uroptychus contains the following species:
Babamunida is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Munididae. The genus occurs in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, with the greatest diversity in the Pacific.
Galacantha is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Munidopsidae, containing the following species:
Leiogalathea is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Munidopsidae, containing the following species:
Paramunida is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Munididae, containing the following species:
Raymunida is a genus of squat lobsters in the family Munididae, containing the following 11 species:
Shinkaia crosnieri is a species of squat lobster in a monotypic genus in the family Munidopsidae. S. crosnieri lives in deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems, living off of the chemosynthetic activity of certain bacteria living on its setae.
The Galatheoidea are a superfamily of decapod crustaceans comprising the porcelain crabs and some squat lobsters. Squat lobsters within the three families of the superfamily Chirostyloidea are not closely related to the squat lobsters within the Galatheoidea. The fossil record of the superfamily extends back to the Middle Jurassic genus Palaeomunidopsis.
Munidopsis tuberosa is a species of squat lobster, first isolated from deep waters off Taiwan. M. tuberosa is similar to M. granosicorium, but it differs by the configuration of its carapace and rostrum.
Munidopsis echinata is a species of squat lobster, first found in deep waters off Taiwan. M. echinata is similar to M. colombiana, but differs by lacking an antennal spine on its carapace and having a rather longer antennal peduncle.
Munidopsis tafrii is a species of squat lobster first found in Taiwanese waters at depths greater than 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). It resembles M. ceratophthalma, however its carapace morphology distinguishes it from its cogenerate species.
