The familial position of Eurypodius Guérin, 1828 (Brachyura, Majoidea)

Ongoing revision of the classification of the spider crab (Majoidea) families has seen numerous changes in recent years. Polyphyly in the diverse family, Inachidae, has seen numerous genera moved to other families, particularly to Oregoniidae and Macrocheiridae. The genus Eurypodius Guérin, 1828 from southern South America has had a fluid taxonomic history (including being the type genus of its own family) but for the past 100 years, has been considered an inachid. Reconsideration of Eurypodius on the basis of molecular data as well as adult and larval morphology show that it does not belong in Inachidae. Instead, genetic evidence places Eurypodius in a clade together with representatives of the families Epialtidae, Mithracidae, and Majidae, phylogenetically distant from other inachids. As such, the family Eurypodiidae MacLeay, 1838, is removed from the synonymy with Inachidae and here treated as a separate family. Eurypodiidae is rediagnosed and the type species of Eurypodius , E. latreillii Guérin, 1828, described and figured.