Cuapetes americanus (Kingsley, 1878)

Anchistia americana — Kingsley, 1878:65.

Periclimenes (Harpilius) americanus — Holthuis, 1951:60 (full synonymy) Nizinski, 2003:104.

Periclimenes americanus — Borradaile, 1898:283; Schmitt, 1935:162; Chace, 1972:31; Coelho & Ramos, 1972:147; Ramos- Porto, 1980:297; Williams, 1984:83; Abele & Kim, 1986:15; Martínez-Iglesias, 1986:32; Ramos-Porto & Coelho, 1998:338; Coelho et al., 2006:50.

Kemponia americanus — Bruce, 2004:11; De Grave et al., 2006:1422.

Kemponia americana — Coelho Filho, 2006:6; Almeida et al., 2007:11.

Cuapetes americanus — Okuno, 2009:67 –68; Román-Contreras & Martínez-Mayén, 2010.

Diagnosis. Rostrum straight, with apex slightly curved upward, overreaching end of antennular peduncle and overreaching end of scaphocerite, dorsal margin with 7 to 10 teeth, first 2 teeth placed behind the orbit, ventral margin with 2 or 3 teeth. Basal segment of antennular peduncle with stylocerite strong, almost reaching the half this segment and anterolateral margin with tooth that not reaches the half of second segment of antennular peduncle. Scaphocerite with strong distal tooth. Carapace with antennal and hepatic spines. Mandible without palp. First pereopods slender, unarmed and with fingers longer than palm. Second pereopods stronger and longer than first pair, with 3 to 4 teeth on cutting edge of dactylus. Third to fifth pereopods with simple dactyli. Abdomen with pleura of fifth somite acute. Telson with 2 pairs of dorsal spines and 3 pairs of spines on posterior margin.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: USA (from North Caroline to Florida), Bermuda, Mexico (Laguna de Términos, Quintana Roo), Honduras, Cuba (Batabanó Gulf), Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Tobago, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil (Amapá, to Pernambuco, Bahia [Camamu bay and Abrolhos], Espírito Santo and São Paulo) (Figure 3). (Holthuis, 1951; Williams, 1984; Ramos-Porto & Coelho, 1998; Martinez-Iglésia & García Raso, 1999; Nizinski, 2003; Bruce, 2004; Barba et al., 2005; De Grave, et al., 2006; Coelho et al., 2006; Coelho-Filho, 2006; Almeida et al., 2007.

Material examined. PARAÍBA. João Pessoa, Tambaú, Recife Picãozinho, 1 female, (MNRJ-1084); PER- NAMBUCO. Itamaracá, Forte Orange, 1 male, 1 female, 2 ovigerous females, (MZUSP- 8975); BAHIA. Salvador, 1 male, 3 females, 1 ovigerous females, (MNRJ-1001).

Ecological notes. The species occurs from shallow water to 300 m, inhabits sandy or rocky bottoms, tidal pools, coral reefs, often among calcareous algae, seaweed meadows softs, macroalgae and association with anemones, crinoids and sponges or free living and on mangrove roots. (Chace, 1972; Coelho & Ramos, 1972; Criales, 1984; Ramos-Porto & Coelho, 1990; Barba et al., 2005).