Achelous spinicarpus Stimpson, 1871

Achelous spinicarpus Stimpson, 1871 View in CoL

( Fig. 3A View Figure 3 )

Material examined. Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Cabo Frio , 60 m, 6 males (cw 4.5–5.0; cl 2.9–3.1) and 4 females (cw 3.2–3.9; cl 2.0–2.4), MNRJ 5028 View Materials .

Diagnosis. Carapace about twice wider than long; sculptured, with a number of naked, rather coarsely granulate, arching, transverse ridges separated by finely granulate and pubescent surfaces. Frontal region with six to eight teeth; median teeth and submedian teeth narrow, acute, separated by broad usually U-shaped notches, median teeth considerably advanced beyond submedian teeth; lateral frontal teeth 1 and 2 with sinuate but unknotted outer margins. Posterior anterolateral tooth slender, curving, more than half of anterolateral border length and directed outwards. Chelipeds long, slender; merus with four or five stout, curved spines in front, and single, similar, distal spine behind; carpus with two spines, outer spine small and weak, inner spine long, extending along the side of hand to near base of dactyl; Merus of swimming leg irregularly spinose or denticulate in postero-distal angle (modified from Rathbun, 1930 and Williams, 1984).

Measurements. Male, cl 34, cw 64; female, cl 32, cw

58 ( Williams, 1984).

Color. Carapace grayish green marbled with short, curved reddish brown line and streaks; a dark median longitudinal line over cardiac and intestinal regions; epibranchial line dark red distally. Cheliped with merus very lightly spotted; carpus with long spines uninterruptedly red proximally fading to white intervals distally and fringed with long red hairs; walking legs grayish green with pink dactyls (modified from Williams, 1984)

Geographic distribution. Western Atlantic: USA (North to South Carolina, Florida), Gulf of Mexico ( USA, Florida to Mexico, Cancun), Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil (Amapá to Rio Grande do Sul) ( Melo, 1996).

Type locality. Florida Straits , USA (24 o 23’N

82 o 57’W) ( Holthuis, 1969).

Habitat. From shallow waters to depths of 550 m. On sand, gravel, broken shells, corals and mud bottom ( Melo, 1996).