Pseudopontonides principis ( Criales, 1980 )

Vieira, Rony R. R., Ferreira, Rodrigo S. & D’Incao, Fernando, 2012, Pontoniinae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) from Brazil with taxonomic key, Zootaxa 3149, pp. 1-38 : 28-29

Pseudopontonides principis ( Criales, 1980)

Neopontonides principis — Criales, 1980:75.

Pseudopontonides principis — Heard, 1986:479.

Diagnosis. The rostrum is slender, unarmed, nearly horizontal and laterally compressed. Usually it reaches the middle of the second segment of the antennular peduncle, but sometimes it extends as far as the end. Antennular peduncle with a strong pointed stylocerite. Scaphocerite overreaches the antennular peduncle and it is less than three times longer than broad. Carapac is subcylindrical, with a strong antennal spine. Mandible without palp. Maxillipeds without exopods. First pereopods overreaches the scaphocerite with the end of the chela; the fingers are unarmed and are as long as palm. Second pereopods are similar in shape but unequal in length, the right one being longer. Major pereopod reaches beyond the scaphocerite with the dactyli or part of palm. Minor pereopod overreaches the antennal scale with more than half the palm. Third to fifith pereopods with simple dactily. Telson with 2 pairs of dorsal spines and 3 pairs of spine on posterior margin.

Distribution. Colombia (Santa Marta), Curacao, Bonaire, Brazil (Espírito Santo). (Figura 20). ( Criales, 1980, Wirtz et al., 2009).

Material examined. None.

Ecological notes. The species is found on the coral reefs Stichopathes gracilis and Cirripathes (sechini?) between 15 and 25 m deep ( Wirtz et al., 2009).