Portunus ventralis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1879 )

Rodrigues, Iana Barbosa & Serejo, Irene Azevedo Cardoso and Cristiana Silveira, 2017, Catalogue and illustrated key of Achelous De Haan, 1833 and Portunus Weber, 1795 (Brachyura: Portunidae: Portuninae) species occurring in Brazilian waters, Nauplius (e 2017005) 25, pp. 1-12 : 9-10

Portunus ventralis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1879)

( Fig. 4D )

Material examined. Sald #1655, 1 male (cw 1.7; cl

1.1), DOUFPE 7215.

Diagnosis. Carapace short pubescent and with coarse granulation. Frontal region with six teeth; median teeth smaller than submedian teeth; median teeth almost semicircular or with arcuate edge; lateral frontal teeth 1 blunt and considerably shorter than submedian teeth. Posterior anterolateral tooth broad at base, as long as the space occupied by the three adjacent teeth, and curved a little forward. Chelipeds of moderate length; merus with four spines, two on distal half of the inner margin and much longer and stronger than the pair of spines on the proximal half; at the distal end of the outer margin there is no spine; carpus with two spines, one at the inner angle and one on the outer side, the first longer and stronger then the last one. Merus of swimming leg unarmed (modified from Rathbun, 1930).

Measurements. Female, cl 14.2, cw 27.4, width at base of lateral spine 22.2 ( Rathbun, 1930).

Color. On the carapace a large postero-lateral area and a postorbital triangle are slate-color, as are also the greater part of the upper surface of the merus of the cheliped, the infero-proximal two-thirds of outer face of manus and the basal half of fingers; rest of surface a sort of ecru drab and buff pink; fingers distally almost salmon buff with extreme tips nearly white. The ambulatory legs have areas of gray on the middle portion of merus, carpus and propodus, these patches being much less extensive on the third ambulatory, where there is also a small patch of maroon on the same three articles; a maroon spot on merus and propodus of swimming leg; remainder of this propodus as well as the whole of the dactylus transparent (modified from Rathbun, 1930).

Geographic distribution. Western Atlantic: USA (Georgia, Florida), Gulf of Mexico ( USA, Florida to Mexico, Cancun), Antilles, Venezuela, Brazil (Rocas Atoll, Rio Grande do Norte to Rio de Janeiro) ( Melo, 1996; Coelho-Filho, 2006).

Habitat. From intertidal zone to depths of 25 m. On sand bottom on sandy beaches. Also in tide pools ( Melo, 1996).

Type locality. Guadeloupe, Caribbean Sea .

Figures

Figure 4. A, Portunus anceps, MNRJ 16515; B, Portunus floridanus (from Rathbun, 1930); C, Portunus sayi (from Rathbun, 1930); D, Portunus ventralis, DOUFPE 7215. Scale bars: A, B, D, 2 cm; C, 3.7 cm.