hepatus

Hepatus is a genus of crabs in the order Decapoda. The genus includes several species that inhabit tropical and subtropical marine environments around the world. The exact number of species and their classification have changed with ongoing taxonomic revisions and molecular analyses.

Hepatus crabs are typically benthic, living on sandy or muddy substrates, often in shallow coastal zones, seagrass beds, or reef-associated habitats. They are generally small to medium-sized and have a rounded carapace and a broad body adapted to a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. They are omnivorous, feeding on detritus, microalgae, and small invertebrates, and may play a role in sediment turnover and nutrient cycling.

Reproduction is sexual, with separate sexes. Females brood eggs attached to the pleopods until hatching, after which larval stages develop in the plankton before metamorphosing into juvenile crabs. As with many brachyuran crabs, larval development involves multiple planktonic stages, and timing can be influenced by environmental conditions such as temperature and food availability.

Taxonomic placement within the brachyuran crabs has been subject to revision. Some authorities have proposed placements within Calappidae or related lineages, while others have suggested alternate familial affiliations. The relationships among Hepatus species and their kin are studied using a combination of morphological traits and molecular data, with ongoing work refining classifications and relationships within this group.

In summary, Hepatus represents a genus of bottom-dwelling crabs with a broad, global tropical–subtropical distribution, characterized by a benthic lifestyle, detritivorous–omnivorous diet, and a history of taxonomic revision as researchers integrate new data.