Minuca mordax

Minuca mordax (Smith, 1870)

(Figure 14E)

Gelasimus mordax Smith, 1870: 135.

Material examined. Brazil, São Paulo: 1 ♂, CCDB 4032, Ubatuba, Rio Escuro mangrove, colls. R. Buranelli et al., 23.iv.2012; 1 ♂, CCDB 3202, Iguape, Rio Mar Pequeno, Ponte Iguape-Ilha Comprida, colls. F. Mantelatto et al., 18.iv.2011; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, CCDB 2988, Iguape, Ponte Rio Sorocabinha, colls. F. Mantelatto et al., 13.v.2008; 1 ♂, CCDB 5545, Iguape, Ponte Rio Sorocabinha, colls. F. Mantelatto et al., 13.v.2008; 5 ♂, 7 ♀, CCDB 4037, mangrove near Rio Estrada Ariri—Pariquera Açu, colls. F. Carvalho et al., 10.xi.2011.

Distribution. Western Atlantic—Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela to Brazil (Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul) (Rathbun 1918; Crane 1975; Barros & Pimentel 2001; Bezerra 2012; Masunari et al. 2020).

Remarks. Previous records on the coast of São Paulo include Cananéia (Gerlach 1958; Bezerra 2012) and Ubatuba (Bezerra 2012). According to Masunari et al. (2020), the occurrence in Piauí and Paraíba is probable but not officially recorded. This species is morphologically close related to Minuca burgersi and M. rapax (Crane 1975; Masunari et al. 2020). In optimum habitats upriver (freshwater or oligohaline areas), this species is the only American fiddler crab, and when rarely present near the sea it is usually in association with M. burgersi and M. rapax (Crane 1975; Masunari et al. 2020). This species and L. uruguayensis are the only two with southwards distribution where mangroves do not grow (Masunari et al. 2020). Sequences accession number (GenBank): CCDB 4037—16S (KU313181), COI (KU313196) (Mantelatto et al. 2018a).