Mithraculus forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1875

Material examined. Penaeid—3 M; size range: 3.35 ≤ CW ≤ 5.95 mm; average: CW = 4.50 ± 1.32 mm; CZUFS CRU- 00235.

Stations. Penaeid—3 and 4.

Distribution. Western Atlantic—USA (North and South Carolina, and Gulf of Mexico), Antilles, Venezuela, and Brazil (Seamounts of São Pedro and São Paulo, Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, and from Maranhão to Santa Catarina) (Holthuis et al. 1980; Melo 1996; Rieger & Giraldi 1996).

Ecological notes. From shallow waters to 90 m of depth. On hard or sandy substrates, coral reefs, dead coral rubble, and algae. Also found in association with sponges (Melo 1996; Almeida et al. 2010) and the Bryozoa Schizoporella unicornis (Alves et al. 2013). Very common inside rhodoliths (Bouzon & Freire 2007).

Remarks. According to the classification of Ng et al. (2008) the species belonged to the subfamily Mithracinae, raised recently to family Mithracidae. According to Windsor & Felder (2014), molecular and morphological evidences indicate that M. forceps is closely related to M. sculptus (Lamarck), and both form a clade with M. cinctimanus Stimpson, M. coryphe (Herbst), and M. denticulatus (Bell). Moreover, the same study supported the retention of Mithraculus as a distinct genus, since it did not appear as a well-supported sister group of Mithrax Latreille or any other genus included in their analysis (<50% support of maximum likelihood bootstrap and Bayesian posterior probabilities).

Previous records in Sergipe. Coelho (1971 a, b), as Mithrax (Mithraculus) forceps.