Munida forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1880

Schmidt, Gustavo A. & Melo-Filho, De, 2008, Specimens of Galatheidae (Crustacea: Decapoda) collected by N. Pq. “ Soloncy Moura ” off the Southern Coast of Brazil under the Revizee Program, Zootaxa 1841, pp. 31-42 : 35-36

Munida forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1880

Munida forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1880: 49 ; A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier 1897: 28, pl. 2, fig. 8; Benedict 1902: 307; Chace 1942: 39, fig. 15; Springer & Bullis 1956: 15; Bullis & Thompson 1965: 9; Pequegnat & Pequegnat 1970: 131, fig. 5-2; Wenner 1982: 361; Takeda 1983: 88; Abele & Kim 1986: 35, 403: fig. a; Melo-Filho & Melo 1992b: 768, figs. 18–24; Poupin 1994: 35, pl. 3d; Rambla 1995: 98, fig. 2; Melo-Filho 1998: 394; Melo 1999: 184, fig. 113, 114 a–d; Melo-Filho 1999: 390, fig. 10; Melo-Filho & Melo 2001a: 1183, fig. 5; 2001b: 1148, fig, 12, 13; 2001c: 44; Melo-Filho 2006: 8, fig. 2 tabs. 1, 2.

Material Examined. Brazil: São Paulo – N. Pq. “Soloncy Moura”: st. 1139, 299 m, 1 ex. ( MZUSP 15362); st. 1246, 297 m, 1 ex. ( MZUSP 15354).

Recognition characters. Carapace with margins slightly arched. Outer orbital spine on antero-lateral angle, followed by 5 smaller lateral spines. Gastric area with epigastric row of strong spines. One parahepatic spine on each side of carapace. Anterior branchial areas each with 1 spine. One strong postcervical spine on each side. Transverse lineae well spaced, distinct. Abdominal tergites 2 with anterior margin armed. Remaining tergites unarmed. Peduncle of antennule with outer terminal spine much longer than inner spine. Outer lateral margin with 1 medium-sized proximal spine and 1 very long distal one. Peduncle of antenna with strong inner terminal spine on first segment (basis); second segment with 2 strong spines. Remaining segments unarmed. Third maxilliped with 2 spines, in addition to several intercalate tubercles on ventral (flexor) margin of merus. Chela characteristically long and very stout. Coxae of the third and fourth ambulatory legs characteristically granulated.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Virginia, Florida (tropical east coast), Gulf of Mexico (north and south coast), Cuba (north coast), Mexico, Venezuela, Guiana, Brazil (Alagoas, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul) and Uruguay (north of the Rio de la Plata). Between 73 and 426 meters depth, but the specimen from HMS “Challenger” st. 122 was dredged at 630 m (Melo-Filho & Melo, 1992).