Paragiopagurus macrocerus Forest 1955

Paragiopagurus macrocerus (Forest, 1955)

(Fig. 19)

Parapagurus macrocerus Forest, 1955: 101, fig. 22, pl. 3 figs. 1–7.

Parapagurus macrocerus. —de Saint Laurent, 1972: 116 (cit.).— Macpherson, 1983: 12 (Namibia, 240 m) Sympagurus macrocerus.— Lemaitre, 1990: 227 (key); 233, figs. 9, 10.

Paragiopagurus macrocerus.— Lemaitre, 1996: 207 (new comb.)

Material examined. MU 143, 322 m, (1); MU206, 362– 364 m, (1); MUBV 10, 332– 344 m, (17).

Males: 4.91–7.58 mm, females: 4.18–5.20 mm, ovigerous females: 4.41–6.06 mm

Habitat. Forest (1955) reported this species in shells of the gastropods Clavatula sp., Fusus sp., Nassa sp., Natica sp. and Sveltia lyrata (Brocchi, 1814). It was also reported inhabiting gastropods shells carrying an unidentified actinian (Lemaitre 1990).

Our specimens were found on sandy bottoms and in shells of the gastropod species Nassarius wolffi (Knudsen, 1956), associated with three different species of actinians.

Distribution. Eastern Atlantic from Mauritania (present work) to Namibian coasts (Macpherson 1983), between 145 m (Forest 1955) and 362–364 m depth (present work).

Remarks. Our specimens concur with the original description and figures and also with those provided by Lemaitre (1990). The variability in the shape of the right cheliped was noticed by Forest (1955), who described it as being relatively short in females (with sl over 5 mm). Lemaitre (1990) indicated that the proportions of the carpus and chela of the right cheliped varied with size and sex, usually being broader in females. In our material we found the same variations described for the females in the smaller males.

This species was reported from Namibia, Angola, Congo and Ivory Coast in waters from 145 to 240– 270 m (Forest 1955; Macpherson 1983; Lemaitre 1990). Our findings extend the geographical distribution of the species northwards and the bathymetrical range down to 362–364 m depth.