Panopeus occidentalis Saussure, 1857

Mariño, Joany, Mendoza, María Daniela & López-Sánchez, Beatriz, 2018, Composition and abundance of decapod crustaceans in mixed seagrass meadows in the Paraguaná Peninsula, Venezuela, Iheringia, Série Zoologia (e 2018004) 108, pp. 1-10 : 10

Panopeus occidentalis Saussure, 1857

Diagnosis. Carapace approximately 2/3 as long as wide, regions well marked, surface sparingly granulated; carapace convex especially in gastric region; front narrow, advanced; anterolateral margins with 5 teeth, first 2 coalescent, second anterolateral tooth narrower and separated by deeper sinus from first tooth, third to fifth teeth thicker, more prominent and widely separated, third blunt, forming almost right angle at tip (ABELE & KIM, 1986).

Material examined. CCDGR.– 7♂.

Measurements. CW: 11.4–19.4 mm. CL: 8.3–13.5 mm

Habitat. Between rocks, on mangrove roots, sponges, ascidians,and seaweed, on pilings of piers along shores; shallow waters up to 18.2 m depth (WILLIAMS, 1984). Now on seagrass beds.

General distribution.Western Atlantic. From North Carolina, USA, to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, including Bermuda, Central America,Antilles, and northern South America (WILLIAMS, 1984; MELO, 1999).

Distribution in Venezuela.Cubagua Island (HERNÁNDEZ-ÁVILA et al., 2007), Los Frailes archipelago (TAGLIAFICO et al., 2005), and Orinoco River Delta (PEREIRA et al., 2004). Now in Paraguaná Peninsula, FalcÓn state.