Munida forceps A. Milne­Edwards, 1880

De, Gustavo A. S. & Melo-Filho, 2006, Reports on the results of the N. Oc. “ Prof. W. Besnard ” expeditions to the southern coast of Brazil under the Revizee Program: Chirostylidae and Galatheidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura), Zootaxa 1238, pp. 1-22 : 8-9

Munida forceps A. Milne­Edwards, 1880

Munida forceps A. Milne­Edwards, 1880: 49 ; A. Milne­Edwards & Bouvier, 1897: 28, pl. 2, fig. 8; Benedict, 1902: 307; Chace, 1942: 39, fig. 15; Springer & Bullis, 1956: 15; Bullis & Thompson, 1965: 9; Pequegnat & Pequegnat, 1970: 131, fig. 5–2; Wenner, 1982: 361; Takeda, 1983: 88; Abele & Kim, 1986: 35, fig. a, p. 403; Melo­Filho & Melo, 1992b: 768, figs. 18–24; Poupin, 1994: 35, pl. 3d; Rambla, 1995: 98, fig. 2; Melo­Filho, 1998: 394; Melo, 1999: 184, fig. 113, 114 a–d; Melo­Filho, 1999: 390, fig. 10; Melo­Filho & Melo, 2001a: 1183, fig. 5; 2001b: 1148, fig, 12, 13; 2001c: 44.

Recognition characters

Carapace with margins slightly arched. Outer orbital spine on antero­lateral angle, followed by 5 smaller lateral spines. Gastric area with epigastric row of strong spines. One parahepatic spine on each side of carapace. Anterior branchial areas each with 1 spine. One strong postcervical spine on each side. Remainder of carapace unarmed. Transverse lines well spaced, distinct. Abdominal tergites 2 with anterior margin armed. Remaining tergites unarmed. Peduncle of antennule with outer terminal spine much longer than inner spine. Outer lateral margin with 1 medium­sized proximal spine and 1 very long distal one. Peduncle of antenna with strong inner terminal spine on first segment (basis); second segment with 2 strong spines. Remaining segments unarmed. Third maxilliped with 2 spines, in addition to several intercalate tubercles on ventral (flexor) margin of merus. Chela characteristically long and very stout. Coxae of the third and fourth ambulatory legs characteristically granulated.

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Virginia, Florida (tropical east coast), Gulf of Mexico (north and south coast), Cuba (north coast), Mexico, Venezuela, Guiana, Brazil (Alagoas, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul) and Uruguay (north of the Rio de la Plata): most records at 73–426 meters depth, but the specimen from HMS “Challenger” st. 122 was dredged at 630 m and a specimen from off the Rio Grande do Sul coast (MZUSP 5177) was dredged at 950 m,.

Remarks

A. Milne­Edwards (1880) reported a single specimen of M. forceps , collected by USS "Blake" at station 36 (holotype). According to Chace (1942), however, there is also an ovigerous female of this species, collected together with the holotype (USS "Blake", st. 36) but not mentioned by A. Milne­Edwards (1880) and A. Milne­Edwards & Bouvier (1897). Munida forceps is easily identifiable by its long and very stout chelipeds. According to Melo­Filho & Melo (2001c), a single specimen was collected off the Uruguay coast (north of the Rio de la Plata) by N.Oc. “Prof W. Besnard” st. 6693 (MZUSP 13217).