Checklist of the marine and estuarine Brachyura (Crustacea: Decapoda) of northern and northeastern Brazil

Abstract

A total of 272 species of brachyuran crabs are reported from marine and estuarine environments in northern and northeast Brazil. The checklist is derived from the literature published from 1847 to 2008, and includes all species that have been reported at least once from the study area. It is also partially supported by material deposited in the crustacean collection of the Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, city of Recife, Brazil (DOUFPE). The families containing the highest number of species in northern and northeastern Brazil are Majidae (31), Portunidae (22), Epialtidae (20), Panopeidae (20), and Xanthidae (18). The remaining species are distributed in 39 families. The analysis of the distribution of the species in the region, allows for identification of four patterns of longitudinal distribution (western Atlantic, Amphi-Atlantic, Amphi-American, and circumtropical species) and, in the western Atlantic, six patterns of latitudinal distribution (Virginian, Carolinian, Antillean, Central-South American, Boreal, and Endemic). Two non-indigenous species have also been reported. Most of the species represented in northern and northeastern Brazil have Antillean (94 species; 34.5%) and Carolinian (75 species; 27.6%) pattern of distribution.

A realignment of marine biogeographic provinces with particular reference to fish distributions

“…For the decapods, Boschi (2000), who recognized a southern boundary at Cape Frio, found 572 species with 11% endemism. Coelho et al (2008) also examined decapod distributions, reporting 12.5% endemism in the Brazilian Province. About 25% of the coral species are endemic (Veron, 2000).…”

New records of decapod crustaceans from the coast of Sergipe state, Brazil

“…G.L. Hirose;31.III.2014. Distribution: Western Atlantic -Florida, West Indies to Brazil (from Pará to Bahia) (Barreto et al 1993;Melo 1996;Serejo et al 2006;Almeida et al 2007;Coelho et al 2008; this study).…”

Decapod assemblages in subtidal and intertidal zones—Importance of scuba diving as a survey technique in tropical reefs, Brazil

“…The absence or presence of decapod species within a specific zone can be an indicator of environmental disturbance from physicochemical or anthropic inputs. Mainly because the decapods represent one of the most important taxon in the marine ecosystem, being a key group in trophic relations within all marine trophic chains (Abele, 1974;Melo, 1996Melo, , 1999Coelho et al, 2006Coelho et al, , 2007Coelho et al, , 2008De Grave et al, 2009;Dubinsky and Stambler, 2011).…”

“…In particular the decapods, which present high species diversity, are an important component in trophic dynamics and are also an important fishery resource throughout the world (Randall, 1967;Abele, 1974;Melo, 1996Melo, , 1999Coelho et al, 2006Coelho et al, , 2007Coelho et al, , 2008De Grave et al, 2009;Dubinsky and Stambler, 2011).…”