Munidopsis taiwanica

Munidopsis taiwanica has carapace 1.1 times as longer as its width, and covered with short curved plumose setae.

[1][3] Its dorsal surface is convex from side to side, strongly inflated on gastric and cardiac regions, with branchial that has small tubercles and lateral spines on the anterior and cardiac region with numerous, little elevated ridges on the posterior.

[1] Through observation it is suggested that Munidopsis taiwanica probably exhibited camouflage behaviour by attaching seafloor sediments onto its body forming a muddy layer of the background colour as it was closely associated with the chemosynthetic environment of a mud volcano field.

These differences could be interpreted as intraspecific variations unless more specimens are collected and could discover a systematic importance.

Some squat lobsters from vent and seep habitats, such as Shinkaia crosnieri and species of the family Kiwaidae, feed directly on the chemosynthetic bacteria.