Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 30, 2026

Dromiidae

Dromiidae is a family of crabs, often referred to as sponge crabs. They are small or medium-sized crabs which get their name from the ability to shape a living sponge into a portable shelter for themselves. A sponge crab cuts out a fragment from a sponge and trims it to its own shape using its claws. The last two pairs of legs are shorter than other legs and bend upward over the crab's carapace, to hold the sponge in place. The sponge grows along with the crab, providing a consistent shelter.

Last revised
Jun 30, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
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Citations
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Wikipedia ↗
Dromiidae
Temporal range:
Dromia personata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Section: Dromiacea
Superfamily: Dromioidea
Family: Dromiidae
De Haan, 18331

Dromiidae is a family of crabs,2 often referred to as sponge crabs. They are small or medium-sized crabs which get their name from the ability to shape a living sponge into a portable shelter for themselves.3 A sponge crab cuts out a fragment from a sponge and trims it to its own shape using its claws. The last two pairs of legs are shorter than other legs and bend upward over the crab's carapace, to hold the sponge in place. The sponge grows along with the crab, providing a consistent shelter.3

Subfamilies and genera

The family Dromiidae contains the following subfamilies and genera:1

  • Dromiinae (De Haan, 1833)
    • Alainodromia (McLay, 1998)
    • Ameridromia † (Blow & Manning, 1996)
    • Ascidiophilus (Richters, 1880)
    • Austrodromidia (McLay, 1993)
    • Barnardomia (McLay, 1993)
    • Conchoecetes (Stimpson, 1858)
    • Costadromia † (Feldman and Schweitzer, 2019)
    • Cryptodromia (Stimpson, 1858)
    • Cryptodromiopsis (Borradaile, 1903)
    • Desmodromia (McLay, 2001)
    • Dromia (Weber, 1795)
    • Dromidia (Stimpson, 1858)
    • Dromidiopsis (Borradaile, 1900)
    • Dromilites † (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837)
    • Epigodromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Epipedodromia (André, 1932)
    • Eudromidia (Barnard, 1947)
    • Exodromidia (Stebbing, 1905)
    • Foredromia (McLay, 2002)
    • Fultodromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Haledromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Hemisphaerodromia (Barnard, 1954)
    • Homalodromia (Miers, 1884)
    • Kerepesia † (Müller, 1976)
    • Kromtitis † (Müller, 1984)
    • Lamarckdromia (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Lauridromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Lewindromia (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Lucanthonisia † (Van Bakel, Artal, Fraaije & Jagt, 2009)
    • Mclaydromia (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Metadromia (McLay, 2009)
    • Moreiradromia (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Noetlingia † (Beurlen, 1928)
    • Paradromia (Balss, 1921)
    • Petalomera (Stimpson, 1858)
    • Platydromia (Brocchi, 1877)
    • Pseudodromia (Stimpson, 1858d)
    • Speodromia (Barnard, 1947)
    • Stebbingdromia (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Sternodromia (Forest, 1974)
    • Stimdromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Takedromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Tumidodromia (McLay, 2009)
    • Tunedromia (McLay, 1993)
  • Hypoconchinae (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Hypoconcha (Guérin-Méneville, 1854)
  • Sphaerodromiinae (Guinot & Tavares, 2003)
    • Eodromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Frodromia (McLay, 1993)
    • Sphaerodromia (Alcock, 1899)
References

References

  1. Sammy De Grave; N. Dean Pentcheff; Shane T. Ahyong; et al. (2009). "A classification of living and fossil genera of decapod crustaceans" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Suppl. 21: 1–109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-06.
  2. "Dromiidae De Haan, 1833". DecaNet. World Register of Marine Species. 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005 DVD