First comprehensive ecological checklist of Brachyura in Korea: 1879-2020

The increasing concerns and management needs on marine biodiversity have escalated the requirement for timely documentation of the marine taxa. We first established a comprehensive ecological checklist of Korean Brachyura through a meta-analysis of 74 documents (since the 1870s). A total of 247 species inhabiting the Korean coastal waters are listed with some key ecological information; habitat, substrate, distribution, and delta +. The crabs predominated on Jejudo Island, at the southernmost point of Korea, followed by the South Sea, West Sea, and East Sea. Portunus trituberculatus and Hemigrapsus sanguineus were cosmopolitan species widely distributed across the three seas. Dynamic oceanographic settings of the South Sea, such as archipelago, Rias coast, varied habitats, and (in)direct influence of Kuroshio warm current, seemed to support high crab diversity. The rocky and subtidal habitats represented biodiversity hotspots. The present study would be a useful baseline for gathering further ecological information of globally important marine taxa in Korea and elsewhere.

Automated summary

The study established an ecological checklist of Korean Brachyura through a meta-analysis, listing 247 species with key ecological information. The dynamic oceanographic settings of the South Sea seem to support high crab diversity, while rocky and subtidal habitats represent biodiversity hotspots. This study provides a useful baseline for further ecological information gathering of globally important marine taxa in Korea and elsewhere.