Automate cf. evermanni Rathbun, 1901

(Fig. 3)

Automate evermanni Rathbun, 1901: 112, fig. 22.

Material examined. 1 f, 23.XI.2007, Prado, Cumuruxatiba Beach, MZUESC 1063.

Distribution. Western Atlantic—North Carolina to Brazil (Amapá to Rio Grande do Sul). Eastern Atlantic—Cape Verde, Senegal to Nigeria (Crosnier & Forest 1966; Christoffersen 1998; Coelho et al. 2006).

Ecological notes. The single specimen from Bahia was collected from a burrow of unidentified host (or perhaps its own burrow, see Dworschak & Coelho 1999), in fine sand in the intertidal zone, at a salinity of 35 psu. Although primarily a shallow-water species (less than 50 m), A. evermanni has been recorded from as deep as 250 m (Rathbun 1901; Crosnier & Forest 1966; Dworschak & Coelho 1999).

Previous records. None.

Remarks. Automate evermanni may be a species complex (A. Anker, pers. comm.). The present specimen has several appendages missing, including both chelipeds. However, it was possible to distinguish it from the two other western Atlantic species, viz. A. dolichognatha De Man, 1888 (also a species complex) and A. rectifrons Chace, 1972 (Chace 1972; Christoffersen 1998), based on the configuration of the frontal region (Fig. 3 A).