Catapagurus gracilis (Smith, 1881)

Lemaitre, Rafael & Tavares, Marcos, 2015, New taxonomic and distributional information on hermit crabs (Crustacea: Anomura: Paguroidea) from the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic coast of South America, Zootaxa 3994 (4), pp. 451-506 : 483-485

Catapagurus gracilis (Smith, 1881)

( Figs. 14 , 15 )

Hemipagurus gracilis Smith, 1881: 426 [type locality by lectotype selection by Asakura (2001): NW Atlantic, off Marthas’s Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 874, 40°00’N, 70°57’W].— Asakura, 2001: 832, figs 1H, 4A–S.— Nizinski, 2003: 119. Catapagurus gracilis .— Smith, 1882: 19, 1883b: 19, 1886: 38.— A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1893: 132, pls 25–30.— Gordan, 1956: 306.— Williams & Wigley, 1977: 9.— McLaughlin, 2004a: 13.— McLaughlin et al., 2010: 28.— Nucci & Melo, 2012: 81 (key).

Catapagurus gracilis var. intermedius A Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1893: 137 , pl. 9, figs. 31–34 (type locality: off Barbados, USCSS Blake, sta 299, 13°05’N, 59°39.66’W).

Type material. Lectotype male 2.5 mm, selected by Asakura (2001) of Hemipagurus gracilis Smith, 1881 , off Martha’s Vineyard, NE United States, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 874, 40°00’N, 70°57’W, 156 m, 13 Sep 1880 ( USNM 5081); paralectotypes, same station data as lectotype: 4 males 1.6–1.9 mm, 1 female 1.8 mm ( USNM 1000218). Lectotype male 1.6 mm (dismembered), herein selected of Catapagurus gracilis var. intermedius A Milne- Edwards & Bouvier, 1893, Dominica, USCSS Blake, sta 192, 15°1733’N, 61°24.3’W, 253 m, 30 Jan 1879 ( MCZ 4028); paralectotype male 1.8 mm (dismembered), off Barbados, USCSS Blake sta 299, 13°05’N, 59°39.66’W, 256 m, 10 Mar 1879 ( MCZ 4027).

New material. Eastern United States. Massachusetts: off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 920, 40°13’00”N, 70°41’54”W, 115 m, 16 Jul 1881: 2 males 1.9, 2.1 mm, 2 ov females 1.7, 1.8 mm ( USNM 35300); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 865, 40°05’N, 70°23’W, 119 m, 4 Sep 1880: 1 male [not measured] ( USNM 5076); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 949, 40°03’00”N, 70°31’00”W, 183 m, 23 Aug 1881: 2 males 1.6, 1.8 mm, 7 females 1.3–2.2 mm, 4 ov females 1.6–2.2 mm ( USNM 12559); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 870, 40°02’36”N, 70°22’58”W, 283 m, 4 Sep 1880: 3 males 1.6–2.2 mm, 1 ov female 2.0 mm ( USNM 5079); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 871, 40°02’54”N, 70°23’40”W, 210 m, 4 Sep 1880: 2 males 2.6, 2.7 mm, 1 ov female 2.2 mm ( USNM 35400); S of Nantucket Shoals, USFC Albatross, sta 2245, 40°01’15”N, 70°22’00”W, 179 m, 26 Sep 1884: 1 male 2.4 mm, 1 ov female 2.0 mm ( USNM 7170); S of Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 1038, 39°58’N, 70°06’W, 267 m, 21 Sep 1881: 1 male 1.8 mm ( USNM 5078); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 877, 39°56’00”N, 70°54’18”W, 230 m, 13 Sep 1880: 1 male 2.3 mm, 2 ov females 1.8, 2.3 mm ( USNM 5077); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 940, 39°54’00”N, 69°51’30”W, 245 m, 4 Aug 1881: 1 male 2.1 mm, 1 ov female 2.3 mm ( USNM 34047); Vineyard Sound, USFC [no ship data], sta 5005, 110 m, 1886: 3 male 1.9–2.0 mm, 2 ov females 1.5, 1.8 mm ( USNM 1010632); off Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 879, 39°49’30”N, 70°54’00”W, 411 m, 13 Sep 1880: 3 males 1.7–2.2 mm, 1 ov female 2.3 mm ( USNM 21406); S of Martha's Vineyard, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 1040, 170.1 m, 21 Sep 1881: 2 males 1.6, 1.9 mm, 1 female 2.1 mm, 1 ov female 1.9 mm ( USNM 5083). New Jersey: USFC Grampus, sta 5005, 40°01’00”N, 71°05’00”W, 190 m, 19 Aug 1886: 3 males 1.9–2.2 mm, 2 ov females 1.6, 1.7 mm ( USNM 11876); CABP, sta G6, 39°40’30”N, 72°00’24”W, 178 m, 14 Aug 1977, coll. VIMS: 1 sex indet., damaged ( USNM 179410); CABP, sta A1, 39°14’42”N, 72°47’18”W, 91 m, 3 Nov 1975, coll. VIMS: 1 male 1.7 mm ( USNM 185572); CABP, sta A1, 39°14’42”N, 72°47’24”W, 90 m, 4 Mar 1976, coll. VIMS: 3 males 1.2–2.3 mm, 1 ov female 2.0 mm ( USNM 185573); CABP, sta A1, 39°14’42”N, 72°47’24”W, 90 m, 4 Mar 1976, coll. VIMS: 4 males 1.7–2.0 mm, 4 ov females 1.9–2.1 mm ( USNM 185574), 12 males 1.2–2.4 mm, 18 ov females 1.6–2.1 mm ( USNM 185582); CABP, sta A1, 39°14’00”N, 72°47’00”W, 91 m, 12 Sep 1977, coll. VIMS: 1 male 1.8 mm ( USNM 185579), 8 males 1.3–2.7 mm, 4 females 1.6–1.9 mm, 5 ov females 1.6–1.9 mm ( USNM 185580), 13 males 1.3–2.7 mm, 4 females 1.6–1.9 mm, 9 ov females 1.3–2.4 mm ( USNM 185581); CABP, sta J1, 38°50’00”N, 72°55’00”W, 400 m, 12 Sep 1977, coll. VIMS: 4 males 1.8–2.2 mm, 2 females 1.5, 1.6 mm, 6 ov females 1.3–1.9 mm ( USNM 185578); CABP, sta J1, 38°45’00”N, 73°01’00”W, 400 m, 25 Aug 1976, coll. VIMS: 1 male 1.9 mm ( USNM 185577); CABP, sta F1, 38°44’00”N, 73°14’42”W, 85 m, 31 Oct 1975, coll. VIMS: 1 male 1.7 mm ( USNM 185575); CABP, sta F1, 38°43’00”N, 73°14’00”W, 85 m, 24 Aug 1976, coll. VIMS: 1 ov female 2.1 mm ( USNM 185576). Delaware: CABP, sta K5, 38°01’30”N, 73°53’48”W, 152 m, 16 Feb 1977, coll. VIMS: 1 male 2.1 mm ( USNM 179204). Virginia: off mouth of Chesapeake Bay, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 896, 37°26’00”N, 74°19’00”W, 102 m, 16 Nov 1880, 1 male 1.6 mm ( USNM 4997), 1 male 1.7 mm ( USNM 77452); off mouth of Chesapeake Bay, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 899, 37°24’00”N, 74°29’00”W, 105.2 m, 16 Nov 1880, 1 male 2.2 mm ( USNM 4996); USFC Albatross, sta 2265, 37°07’40”N, 74°35’40”W, 128 m, 18 Oct 1884: 7 males 1.6–1.9 mm, 1 female 1.5 mm ( USNM 38131); USFC Albatross, sta 2265, 37°07’40”N, 74°35’40”W, 128 m, 18 Oct 1884: 2 male 1.6, 1.7 mm ( USNM 7213), 2 male 1.7, 1.9 mm ( USNM 77449). North Carolina: North American Slope, off North Carolina, R/V Gilliss, sta GI–76–01–68, 37°01’30”N, 74°39’W, 150 m, 31 Jan 1976: 1 male 2.5 mm ( USNM 1111065).

Gulf of Mexico. R/V Tommy Munro, MAMES, cruise B1, sta D4, sample MMS– MAMES /B1:D4–5, 29°40’30”N, 89°16’00”W, 200 m, 30 Sep 1987, coll. D. Harper: 1 male 0.7 mm ( USNM 1108043); Florida Keys, off Key West, USFC Fish Hawk, sta 7282, 24°21’15”N, 81°52’15”W, 199 m, 19 Feb 1902: 1 ov female 1.7 mm ( USNM 102590); Florida Keys, sta 71, 347– 512 m, 5 Aug 1932, coll. W.L. Schmitt: 1 ov female 1.3 mm ( USNM 102714); Florida Keys, Sambo Key, 246.9 m, 1916, coll. J. Henderson: 1 male 1.8 mm ( USNM 102715).

Bahamas. Straits of Florida, Cay Sal Bank, N of Muerto Cay, R/V Gerda , cruise 6804, sta 986, 24°05’00”N, 80°19’00”W, 137–239 m, 5 Mar 1968: 1 male 1.1 mm ( USNM 1010543).

Brazil. Espírito Santo, TAAF MD55, sta 54 CB 93, 19°36’S, 38°53’W, 707–733 m, 30 May 1987: 1 male 1. 7 mm, in gastropod shell ( MZUSP 16829); São Paulo, TAAF MD55, sta 64 CB 105, 23°46’S, 42°09’W, 592–610 m, 2 May 1987 (2 lots):1 ov female 1.7 mm ( MZUSP 16811), 1 male 1.9 mm, ( MZUSP 16824).

Diagnosis. See Asakura (2001, as Hemipagurus gracilis ).

Distribution. Western Atlantic: eastern coast of the United States, from Massachusetts to Florida Keys, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, Barbados, to off northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil. Depth: 85 to 733 m.

Remarks. Catapagurus gracilis has seldom been reported since it was described from the northeastern coast of the United States by Smith (1881 as Hemipagurus gracilis ). A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier (1893) subsequently expanded the distribution of C. gracilis to Barbados, although this Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles has often not been included in published accounts of this species (e.g., Asakura 2001, as Hemipagurus gracilis ; Felder et al. 2009). Since then, however, numerous specimens have been deposited in the USNM, unreported except for Felder et al. ’s (2009) report of a few specimens from the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys. Thus, the discovery of this species off the Brazilian coast represents a remarkable southward range extension from Barbados to the southern hemisphere, covering nearly 37° of latitude. We herein add this species to the hermit crab fauna of Brazil, and illustrate specimens ( Figs. 14 , 15 ) collected during the TAAF expedition. Additional records are herein provided for this often abundant species, from the eastern coast of the United States, Bahamas, and Gulf of Mexico.

A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier separated Catapagurus gracilis var. intermedius from the “typical” form primarily based on differences in the width of the shield (wider in the “variety”), cheliped proportions (shorter in the “variety”), and dilation of corneae (more dilated in the “variety”). However, when sufficient specimens are studied, it is evident that such differences clearly represent intraspecific variations of C. gracilis that are growth related or result of sexual dimorphism. Thus, Catapagurus var. intermedius A Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1893 , is herein formally placed in synonymy with the nominal subspecies as per the recommendation by McLaughlin et al. (2010: 28, and note therein: 37), and based on our comparisons of type materials with numerous specimens of the nominal C. gracilis in the general collections of the USNM.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Catapagurus gracilis (Smith, 1881): male 1.9 mm, Brazil, TAAF MD 55, sta 64 CB 105 (MZUSP 16824): A, shield and cephalic appendages, dorsal; B, right cheliped, dorsal; C, left cheliped, dorsal; D, sternum, coxae of pereopods, and sexual tube, ventral; E, telson, dorsal. Scales: 0.5 mm (A, E, D), 1.0 mm (B, C).

FIGURE 15. Catapagurus gracilis (Smith, 1881): male 1.9 mm, Brazil, TAAF MD 55, sta 64 CB 105 (MZUSP 16824): A, right second pereopod, lateral; B, dactyl of same, mesial; C, right third pereopod, lateral; D, dactyl of same, mesial; E, propodus and dactyl of left fourth pereopod, lateral. Scale: 1.0 mm (A – D), 0.5 mm (E).