Type locality: United States Coast Survey, Steamer Blake, Caribbean Sea, Phare Morro, sta. 2, 1472 m (805 fathoms). − 23°52′N, 88°58′W, sta. 35, 1470 m (804 fathoms). – Martinique, sta. 196, 1884 m (1030 fathoms). – St. Vincent, sta. 227, 1048 m (573 fathoms).
Known range: Atlantic Ocean, south of Iceland to Ascension Island, in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and the Bay of Biscaye, from 194 to 2129 m (Pequegnat & Pequegnat, 1970; Wenner, 1982; Chevaldonné & Olu, 1996).
Occurrence at vents or seeps: cold seeps of the Barbados Accretionary Prism (see below).
Material: Chevaldonné & Olu (1996) noted that only one of the Barbados Accretionary Prism galatheid species has been collected and identified (as M. microphthalma see below) but gave no details as to where the specimens are housed.
Remarks: Chevaldonné & Olu (1996: 290) cited a personal communication from M. de Saint Laurent to the effect that Munida microphthalma occurs in the seep areas of the Barbados Accretionary Prism. A second, larger species observed in that region might belong instead to the genus Munidopsis (Chevaldonné & Olu, 1996: 290). Henderson (1885: 127) reported this species from 713, 777 and 1097 m (as 390, 425, and 600 fathoms); Chace (1942) noted specimens from off the northern coast of Cuba obtained during an expedition of the R / V Atlantis in 1938 and 1939; it was recovered from depths of 677–1216 m. Chace (1942) suggested the species was more widely distributed throughout the Gulf of Mexico and North Atlantic Ocean, and south to Ascension Island, at depths ranging from 627 to 2163 m. Wenner (1982) cited collections from 750 to 1698 m.