Extension of the geographical distribution of some brachyuran and porcellanid decapods (Crustacea) to the coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Investigations of the distribution of marine organisms provide a better understanding of the patterns of distribution and dispersal of these animals. Extensions of the distributional limits of decapod crustaceans in Brazilian waters have been recorded steadily and gradually, but these limits still remain poorly understood. The present study provides information extending the known range of eight species of brachyuran crabs and one species of porcellanid crab. The animals were obtained by Scuba diving during a sampling program carried out near Vitória Island, Ilhabela, on the northeastern coast of the State of São Paulo (23º44'04"S-45º01'35"W) between February, 2004 and January, 2005. These new records extend the geographical distributions of the porcellanid Petrolisthes amoenus (Guérin Menéville, 1855), the majoids Mithrax caribbaeus Rathbun, 1920, Mithrax verrucosus H. Milne Edwards, 1832, Nemausa acuticornis (Stimpson, 1871) and Teleophrys ornatus Rathbun, 1901, and the xanthoids Domecia acanthophora acanthophora (Desbonne & Schramm, 1867), Garthiope spinipes (A. Milne Edwards, 1880), Xanthodius denticulatus (White, 1847) and Xanthodius parvulus (Fabricius, 1793) to the São Paulo coast. These new records may be related to different mechanisms of larval dispersal, larval transport by ballast water, or may simply be exceptional records.