Dana, 1851
Carapace sub-quadrate, slightly wider than long; greatest width behind exorbital angles; deeply vaulted, depth c.0.8-0.9 x carapace width in males; regions moderately defined; antero-lateral margins regularly convex; with 1-3 teeth behind the exorbital angle; front deflexed, c.0.35-0.4 x carapace width, 0.5 x fronto-orbital width, pre-orbital teeth obsolete. Ocular peduncle swollen basally, cornea constricted and reduced. Basal segment of antennal peduncle with a well developed outer rounded tongue; antennal flagellum small and entering orbit. Basal antennular segment swollen. Interantennular septum narrow, 0.2-0.3 x width of front. Median postfrontal lobes distinct, very broad, lateral lobes not clearly differentiated. Third maxilliped merus 0.7-0.8 x length of ischium; merus longer than wide; outer margin convex; antero-external angle not produced; exopod narrow, barely visible in frontal view. Chelipeds subequal; upper surface of palm with a series of transverse grooves separating swollen ridges; outer surface of palm without median longitudinal row; dorsal surface of dactyl in males with at least one large, broad, chitinous tubercle, and some small pointed chitinous tubercles. Legs: merus anterior margin with an acute sub-distal spine, unarmed terminally; carpus with accessory carinae on upper surface. G1 long, reaching just past suture between sternites 2/3; moderately stout; completely calcified; palp obvious but not separated from stem, rounded, calcified; apical process corneous, strongly produced, straight; gonopore terminal or slightly displaced towards the dorsal surface. G2 short, relatively narrow, tapering, twisted, tip blunt. Male abdomen relatively narrow, third segment slightly the wider or sub-equal to first; first segment does not cover entire width of sternum between 4th pereiopods. Base of penis slightly calcified, just visible beneath setae adjacent to margin of third segment. (Davie, 1992a)
Type species: Sarmatium crassum Dana, 1851.
Species treated:
Sarmatium striaticarpus Davie, 1992