For Liocarcinus
depurator, Rufino et al. (2006a) could not successfully discriminate the
shapes of male and female carapaces using landmark-based geometric
morphometrics, but further analysis using classic bivariate morphometry
relating posterior carapace width and carapace width was
successful to this aim. Based on these results the authors argued that
the wider posterior margin of female's carapaces could represent an
adaptation to increase fecundity (Rufino et al., 2006a).