Merguia rhizophorae (Rathbun, 1900)

Hippolysmata rhizophorae Rathbun, 1900: 153, pl. 8, fig. 9.

Material examined. 1 ni, 22.XI.2007, Prado, Barra do Cahy, MZUESC 1048. See also report by Almeida et al. (2006).

Distribution. Western Atlantic—Panama, Suriname and Brazil (Piauí to Bahia). Eastern Atlantic—Niger delta in Nigeria (Chace 1972; Bruce 1993; Christoffersen 1998; Almeida et al. 2006).

Ecological notes. The present specimen was collected intertidally under a rock, at salinity of 15 psu. Merguia rhizophorae was also collected in the mangrove of Mamoã River, at low tide, in decomposing branches of Rhizophora mangle (see Almeida et al. 2006).

Previous records. Ilhéus (Almeida et al. 2006).

Remarks. Almeida et al. (2006) extended the known Brazilian geographic range of M. rhizophorae from the state of Alagoas to Ilhéus in southern Bahia (Mamoã River, 14°35’05.6”S; 39°03’10.5”W). The Barra do Cahy specimen represents only a minor southward range extension (17°00’45.0”S; 39°10’21.0”W) of this species. A photograph of an adult individual of M. rhizophorae from southern Bahia (Ilhéus) was provided by Almeida et al. (2006).