Pagurus pubescentulus ( A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1892 )

De Matos-Pita, Susana S. & Ramil, Fran, 2015, Hermit crabs (Decapoda: Crustacea) from deep Mauritanian waters (NW Africa) with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 3926 (2), pp. 151-190 : 179

Pagurus pubescentulus ( A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1892)

( Fig. 18 )

Eupagurus pubescentulus A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1892: 219 .

Eupagurus pubescentulus .— A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1900: 248, pl. 26 figs 26–30, pl. 28 figs. 13–14.— Forest, 1955: 120, fig. 26, pl. 4 figs. 5–8.

Pagurus pubescentulus .— A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1894: 72 (in part: the female at stn. 226 transferred to Anapagurus laevis by García-Gómez 1994: 21).— Forest, 1963: 628 ( Ivory Coast and Ghana, 300–400 m).— Ingle, 1993: 145, figs. 117–120 (lit.).

Material examined. MUBV 10, 332–344, (12); MUBV 19, 306 m, (2).

Males: 3.55–6.49 mm, female: 4.43 mm ovigerous females: 4.71–5.00 mm

Habitat. Previously reported in bottoms of mud, sand, shells and corals ( A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier 1900; Forest 1963) and on muddy sand, sandy mud and fine sand ( d’Udekem d’Acoz 1999).

The species was reported inhabiting gastropod shells of Trochus ( A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier 1900) , Aporrhais ? senegalensis Gray and Nassa sp. ( Forest 1955). All our specimens were without a shell.

Distribution. Scattered localities in the eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay, Cape Bojador ( Morocco), Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gabon, Angola, Azores ( d’Udekem d’Acoz 1999) and the Mediterranean Sea ( Froglia 2010). Serrano et al. (2006) reported this species from the Cantabrian shelf. Bathymetric distribution is from 130 m ( d’Udekem d’Acoz 1999) down to 380–400 m depth ( Forest 1963: 628). Our material was collected at 306 m and 332–344 m depth.

Remarks. Our specimens concur with those described by Ingle (1993).

Figures

FIGURE 18. Pagurus pubescentulus (A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1892). Male, sl: 4.60 mm (MUBV 19; UVIGOBA 3 12147): A, shield and cephalic appendages. B, chelipeds: left, dorsal view, right lateral view. Scale A – B, 1 mm.