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The alpheid shrimp Automate isabelae Ramos-Tafur, 2018 was described based on material found in stomachs of the lane snapper Lutjanus synagris (L.) in the Florida Keys and south-western coast of Florida, USA (24°N). In the present study, A. isabelae is reported from Araçá Bay, São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil (23°S), the first time since its original description, representing the first record of the species for the south-western Atlantic. The colour pattern of A. isabelae is illustrated for the first time. The differentiating characters between A. isabelae and its presumed eastern Pacific sister species A. rugosa Coutière, 1902 are discussed.

A new western Atlantic member of the cymonomid crab genus, Cymonomus A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, is described from the continental slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico. While the only two available specimens are poorly preserved and lack appendages, they are clearly distinct from other known members of the genus on the basis of the subangular anterolateral margin of the carapace paired with nearly straight, untapered eyestalks that terminate in a slightly bulbous, well-defined cornea, and antennal peduncles that reach beyond the second article of the antennular peduncle. Despite extensive collecting efforts in adjacent waters, the specimens remain known from only the type locality at 850 m depth.

Lissosabinea tridentata (Pequegnat, 1970) known hitherto from the Gulf of Mexico off Florida (24N) and only western Atlantic representative of the genus, is reported here for the first time from much further south, Brazil off the coast of Esprito Santo, Vitria-Trindade Seamount Chain, Montague Bank (20S), between 310 and 391 m. A second western Atlantic species, Lissosabinea christofferseni sp. nov., is described here as new from material collected in the Abrolhos Bank, at depth between 340360 m. One exuviae and one damaged specimen, reported in 1988 from off the coast of Chu, Brazil (34S) (at that time mistakenly referred to as Uruguay) and attributed to Lissosabinea cf. tridentata are herein referred to the new species. It has been clarified that Lissosabinea christofferseni sp. nov. and L. tridentata have a transverse row of teeth adjacent to the posterior margin of the sixth pleonal sternite; in crangonids, such a feature is so far known only in Placopsicrangron formosa Komai Chan, 2009.

Forty species of shore and shallow water brachyuran crabs are reported from the remote oceanic Archipelago Trindade and Martin Vaz (TMV), 11 of which were previously known from Trindade Island, 28 are recorded from the Archipelago for the first time, and one is a new species, Epialtus parvulus sp. nov. This brings the total known shore and shallow water decapod fauna of TMV to 99 species. The opportunity is taken here to elaborate on the taxonomy of the species reported from TMV. One new genus, Mecataleptodius, is recognized for two species, Cancer parvulus Fabricius, 1793, its type species, and Cataleptodius olsoni Manning Chace, 1990, endemic to Ascension Island. The following seven nominal species are synonymized: Acanthonyx dissimulatus Coelho in Coelho Torres, 1993; A. scutiformis (Dana, 1851a); Dromia gouveai Melo Campos Junior, 1999; Epialtus portoricensis Rathbun, 1923; Ranilia guinotae Melo Campos Junior, 1994; R. saldanhai H. Rodrigues da Costa, 1970; and Omalacantha garthi (Lemos de Castro, 1953). TMV is a subset of the western Atlantic crab fauna (23 species or 57.5%), also including 8 (20%) amphi-Atlantic species, 3 (7.5%) amphi-American, 3 (7.5%) endemic, 2 (5%) cosmopolitan, 1 (2.5%) known from both sides of the Atlantic and the Indo-West Pacific. The crab fauna of TMV, Ascension (AS) and Saint Helena (SH) are compared with one another as well as with that of the oceanic islands Fernando de Noronha (FN) and the Rocas Atoll (RA) by means of nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) applied to a dissimilarity matrix generated by Jaccards coefficient. TMV-FN-RA and AS-SH clustered into two distinct groups according to the composition of their crab fauna. The NMDS analysis ranked the species that cause segregation of the crab faunal assemblages among TMV, AS, and SH, while revealing a gradient in species composition between the two groups of islands (TMV-FN-RA and AS-SH) formed by the amphi-Atlantic species. Island isolation, age and size alone do not explain the existing differences in species richness among TMV, AS and SH. The taxonomic composition of the shallow water fauna in these islands is likely to have been determined by several variables that were interwoven differently along their evolutionary history.

The phyllophorids Phyllophorella robusta, Selenkiella siamense and Cladolella virgo, as well as the sclerodactylid Clarkiella discoveryi, are the type species of their respective genera, all described by Heding Panning (1954) and each known only from a single specimen, were revisited in order to reassess their morphology by means of optical and electron microscopy, and micro-computed tomography. Additionally, a new species of phyllophorid is described, the fourth of the genus Thorsonia.

A new species of Dendrochirotida sea cucumber, Parathyone itapuaensis, is described and illustrated herein based on specimens collected from rocky intertidal regions of the northeastern coast of Brazil. The new species is characterized by a suite of morphological characters revealed by light stereomicroscope, SEM and microCT studies of the calcareous ring, dermal ossicles, Polian vesicles and madreporite. Parathyone itapuaensis sp. nov. is characterized by having 10 tentacles, two Polian vesicles and single madreporite; length of anterior process (radial plate) larger than length of the base of the radial plate; body wall with buttons with triangular knobs and knobbed multiperforated plates in the anal region; and tentacles with arched rods, knobbed in the margins and shallow cups knobbed in the outer and inner surfaces. A key to the recognition of Parathyone species is given.

A new species of intertidal ghost shrimp, Biffarius botterae, is described from Maranhão and Ceará in northeastern Brazilian coast. Diagnostic features of the new species include: (1) antennular peduncle shorter than antennal peduncle; (2) male major cheliped massive; (3) male pleopod 2 uniramous, vestigial; (4) uropodal endopod widening distally, inner lateral margin convex; and (5) anterodorsal plate of uropodal exopod absent. Biffarius Manning Felder, 1991, now consists of four species: B. biformis (Biffar, 1971), B. botterae sp. nov., B. delicatulus Rodrigues Manning, 1992, and B. limosus (Poore, 1975). A key to the species of Biffarius is provided.

The Trindade and Martin Vaz (TMV) volcanic archipelago is highly isolated, being located some 1200 km off the Brazilian coast and about 4200 km away from the nearest African coast. The only axiidean known from the archipelago is Coralaxius nodulosus (Meinert, 1877), a species extensively reported in the western Atlantic. From 2012 to 2018, 263 SCUBA diving and intertidal samplings were conducted at TMV and yielded 46 axiidean specimens in three species, one of which is a new species: Corallianassa longiventris (A. Milne-Edwards, 1870), Neocallichirus grandimana (Gibbes, 1850), and Fragillianassa joeli sp. nov., a species closely related to F. fragilis (Biffar, 1970). Hitherto unreported specimens from along the Vitória-Trindade Seamounts Chain (VTSC) and the Abrolhos Bank were also included in this report, namely C. nodulosus and Michelea vandoverae (Gore, 1987). The occurrence of M. vandoverae at the Abrolhos Bank extends its range into the southwestern Atlantic. Coralaxius abelei Kensley Gore, 1981 is herein considered a junior synonym of Coralaxius nodulosus (Meinert, 1877). Meinertaxius Sakai, 2011, therefore becomes a subjective synonym of Coralaxius Kensley Gore, 1981. Axiideans from the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic islands (Ascension, Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, Saint Helena, Trindade and Martin Vaz) are listed with their gross distribution in the Atlantic Ocean revealing a strongly depauperate axiidean insular fauna, totaling six species. Except for Axiopsis serratifrons (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873), a pantropical species, the insular southwestern-central Atlantic axiideans are entirely of western Atlantic affinities, with F. joeli sp. nov. being the only endemic so far.

Trindade and Martin Vaz (TMV) is a highly isolated, oceanic volcanic archipelago located approximately 1200 km off the Brazilian coast and about 4200 km away from the nearest African coast. It has been almost 70 years since the first sea star, "Astropecten sp.", was recorded from Trindade in 1951. In the following years (1955-1971; 2006) six sea star species were added to the archipelago's fauna. After that period, however, research on shallow water echinoderms has not been conducted in TMV and no further sea star species have been recorded from there since. From 2012 to 2019, 263 daytime SCUBA diving and intertidal samplings conducted at TMV yielded 91 lots of sea stars in 7 species: Linckia guildingi Gray, 1840; Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758); Astropecten aff. antillensis Lütken, 1859; Copidaster lymani A. H. Clark, 1948; Luidia alternata alternata (Say, 1825); Mithrodia clavigera (Lamarck, 1816); and Ophidiaster guildingi Gray, 1840. The last five species in this list represent new records to the archipelago, with C. lymani also being the first record of the species in the southwestern Atlantic. Five shallow water species previously known from TMV have not been observed in the present survey: Asterinides folium (Lütken, 1860), Astropecten brasiliensis Müller Troschel, 1842, Astropecten cingulatus Sladen, 1883, Linckia nodosa Perrier, 1875, and Ophidiaster alexandri Verrill, 1915. Twelve sea star species are currently known from shallow waters of TMV.                A list of all sea star species known from shallow waters (intertidal down to 100 meters) of the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic archipelagoes and islands (Ascension, Cape Verde, Fernando de Noronha, Gulf of Guinea, Rocas Atoll, Saint Helena, Trindade and Martin Vaz) with their gross distribution in the Atlantic Ocean was compiled in order to explore the existence of patterns of geographic distribution for the shallow water sea star species in the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic islands. It has been found that 44% of the species from TMV are of western Atlantic affinity, 33% amphi-Atlantic, and 22% circumtropical in distribution. No endemic sea star species are known from TMV to date. The even more remote Ascension (ASC) and Saint Helena (STH) are more of a mosaic than TMV. The ASC and STH fauna consist of 8 and 11 sea star species, respectively. Their endemic component totals to 25% and 27%, respectively. STH has more amphi-Atlantic and eastern Atlantic sea star species (27% each) than ASC (25% and 12.5%, respectively). Twenty-five percent of the sea star species in ASC are circumtropical in distribution, whereas no circumtropical species have been found in STH. The western Atlantic (WA) component comparatively to the eastern Atlantic (EA) one is of minor significance in STH (18% versus 27%, respectively), whereas the WA and EA components contribute equally to the taxonomic composition in ASC (12.5% each). However, patterns of faunal affinities in both islands are actually taxon-dependent.

Trindade and Martin Vaz (TMV) is a highly isolated, oceanic volcanic archipelago located some 1200 km off the Brazilian coast and about 4200 km away from the nearest African coast. For almost 100 years Calcinus tibicen (Herbst, 1791) was the only hermit crab species known from TMV. From 2012 to 2018, 263 daytime SCUBA diving and intertidal samplings conducted at TMV yielded 1075 paguroid specimens in 10 species, three of which are established herein as new species: Iridopagurus martinvaz sp. nov., Nematopagurus micheleae sp. nov., and Pagurus carmineus sp. nov. Iridopagurus margaritensis García-Gómez, 1983, and Phimochirus leurocarpus McLaughlin, 1981, both only known from the northern hemisphere, are recorded for the first time from the southwestern Atlantic. Opportunity was taken herein to include hitherto unreported or little known specimens from along the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, namely, Dardanus venosus H. Milne Edwards, 1848, Nematopaguroides pusillus Forest de Saint Laurent, 1968, Pagurus provenzanoi Forest de Saint Laurent, 1968, and Phimochirus holthuisi (Provenzano, 1961). The lectotype of Pagurus venosus H. Milne Edwards, 1848 is designated as the neotype for the obscure Pagurus arrosor divergens Moreira, 1905, which thus becomes an objective junior synonym of the former. A list of all paguroid species known from the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic archipelagoes and islands (Ascension, Cape Verde, Fernando de Noronha, Gulf of Guinea, Rocas Atoll, Saint Helena, Trindade and Martin Vaz) with their gross distribution in the Atlantic Ocean is provided. Investigation on the existence of patterns of geographic distribution for the paguroid fauna of the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic islands showed that 70% percent of the paguroids from TMV are western Atlantic in origin and 30% endemic. No amphi-Atlantic paguroid species are known from TMV. Conversely, the affinity of Ascension's (33%) and Saint Helena's (50%) paguroids is with the eastern Atlantic; no western Atlantic paguroids have been reported from these two islands so far. Exploration on the existence of trends of correlation between islands area and species richness through the Spearman's coefficient of correlation showed that the patterns in the number of paguroid species cannot be explained by variation in island area alone (rs = 0.4728; p = 0.28571).

Sclerothyone Thandar, 1989, currently restricted to two South African species, is here expanded to include two new species from off coast of Brazil. These new species expand the distribution of the genus to the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Sclerothyone reichi sp. nov. is characterized by having body wall with multilocular two pillared tables with multiperforate disc and short spire, ending in a narrow crown of teeth; tentacles with rods and introvert with two pillared tables and rosettes; tube feet with only end plates. Sclerothyone oloughlini sp. nov. is distinctive in having a body wall with multilocular, two pillared tables; handles present and multilocular two-pillared tables; circular disc without handle; and plates (near the anus). The new species resemble each other in the tentacles with rods. However, Sclerothyone oloughlini sp. nov. stands apart from S. reichi sp. nov. in the introvert with rosettes; tube feet with two pillared supporting tables, arched plates and end plates. The possible assignment of Cucumaria nozawai Mitsukuri, 1912 and Thyone adinopoda Pawson Miller, 1981 to Sclerothyone, and the position of Thyone neofusus Deichmann, 1941 in Temparena Thandar, 1989, are briefly discussed. A key to all genera and species of Sclerodactylinae is provided.

All previous records of Pachycheles rugimanus A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, from the Brazilian coast are reviewed and prove to represent a new species, P. coelhoi sp. nov. (from Amapá, northern Brazilian coast), and P. ackleianus A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, a species already known from Brazil (from Pará to Rio de Janeiro). The new species is described and illustrated, and compared to its most similar congeners: P. rugimanus and P. ackleianus from the western Atlantic, and P. velerae Haig, 1960, from the eastern Pacific (Galapagos Island and Cocos Island). Pachycheles coelhoi sp. nov. is distinguishable from the other three species by a suite of morphological characters, which include the ornamentation of the carapace and chelipeds, and the shape of the third thoracic sternite. All previous records of P. rugimanus from Brazil are considered invalid.

The taxonomy of the southeastern Brazilian species of Psolus is reviewed and two new species described. Additionally, P. vitoriae is redescribed based on a newly designated neotype and supplemental material from the type locality and nearby regions. The synonymy of P. marcusi with P. patagonicus is called into question. The calcareous ring is useful for distinguishing between some Psolus species. Psolus tommasi sp. nov. is characterized by having five oral valves, an anus covered by a variable number of small, irregular anal valves, oral and anal valves distinct from body wall scales, calcareous ring interradial plates entire, calcareous ring simple, without posterior processes; radial and interradial plates entire, dorsal ossicles spheroid bodies and sole ossicles knobbed and smooth perforated plates. Psolus thandari sp. nov. is characterized by granules on body scales; mouth surrounded by five to seven triangular valves of equal size; anus surrounded by a variable number of small and irregular anal valves that grade into surrounding scales; calcareous ring with interradial plates entire. Six species of Psolus are known from the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic region: P. vitoriae (São Paulo, Brazil); P. patagonicus (Mar del Plata to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina; Strait of Magellan and Cape Horn); P. segregatus (Patagonia, Argentina; Strait of Magellan, Chile; Hikurangi Margin and Chatham Rise, New Zealand); P. antarcticus (Magellanic region; South Georgia Island, southern Atlantic Ocean; Macquarie Island and Ridge, New Zealand); P. lawrencei (Mar del Plata, Argentina) and Psolus murrayi Théel, 1886 (Montevideo, Uruguay). A key to the species of Psolus from the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic region, and a synoptic table to all southern Atlantic Psolus species is provided.

Paulayellus gustavi, a new sclerodactylid genus and species, is described from the Pacific coast of Panama. The new genus and species is assigned to the subfamily Sclerothyoninae based on a suite of characters, which include the radial and interradial plates of the calcareous ring united at the base only. Paulayellus gen. nov. differs from the other Sclerothyoninae genera in having posterior processesof radial plates undivided. Additionally, differs from Sclerothyone, Thandarum and Neopentamera in having knobbed buttons, plates and cups in the body wall (whereas the body wall is furnished only with tables and plates in Sclerothyone, Temparena and Thandarum, and only with knobbed buttons and plates in Neopentamera). The new genus is, so far, monotypic. The also monotypic genus Neopentamera proved to have the radial and the interradial plates of the calcareous ring united at the base only, as typically found in the Sclerothyoninae, and is therefore transferred to that subfamily. The discovery of a new genus in the Sclerothyoninae and the transfer of Neopentamera required the amendation of the diagnosis for the subfamily. A key to the Sclerothyoninae is given.

The genus Scyramathia A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 (type species Amathia carpenteri Norman in Wyville Thomson, 1873) is herein removed from the synonymy of Rochinia A. Milne-Edwards, 1875 (type species R. gracilipes A. Milne-Edwards, 1875) and a new genus, Minyorhyncha, is established for Amathia crassa A. Milne-Edwards, 1879, a species previously placed in the genus Rochinia. The genus Anamathia Smith, 1885 (type species Amathia rissoana Roux, 1828), widely regarded as a synonym of Rochinia, is confirmed as a valid genus. The morphological differences between Rochinia (as revealed by its type species), Anamathia, Scyramathia and Minyorhyncha are discussed and illustrated. The strong ontogenetic changes in Minyorhyncha crassa n. gen., n. comb. are also discussed and illustrated. Lectotypes are selected for Rochinia gracilipes A. Milne-Edwards, 1875, and Amathia agassizii Smith, 1882, a junior synonym of Minyorhyncha crassa n. gen., n. comb.

Two new species in the genera Thyone and Havelockia are described and illustrated based upon specimens collected from off the southeastern Brazilian coast. Thyone florianoi sp. nov. is characterized by having two pillared body wall tables with four-holed discs and introvert with multilocular tables. Thyone crassidisca is recorded herein for the first time from the South Atlantic Ocean (Brazil). Havelockia mansoae sp. nov. is distinctive in having two pillared body wall tables with four-holed discs and introvert with plates. This is the first record of the genus Havelockia from Brazilian waters.

The present revision is based on the largest sample of Euryrhynchidae Holthuis, 1950 studied to date, with special reference to Euryrhynchus Miers, 1878. The revision confirms the validity of the 8 currently recognized species of Euryrhynchidae and describes 2 new species related to Euryrhynchus amazoniensis Tiefenbacher, 1978: E. taruman sp. nov. and E. tuyuka sp. nov. The species Euryrhynchus amazoniensis, E. burchelli Calman, 1907, E. pemoni Pereira, 1985 and E. wrzesniowskii Miers, 1878 are redescribed and illustrated based on specimens from the type series and additional material. Additional diagnostic characters are proposed to differentiate the species of Euryrhynchus, previously separated only by the armature of the second pereopod carpus and merus.

The taxonomy of the Brazilian aeglid species Aegla paulensis Schmitt, 1942 from two disjunct hydrographic basins is revised using morphological and molecular data. Results show that six disjunctive populations of Aegla paulensis form a species complex. Aegla paulensis sensu stricto is redescribed and Aegla rosanae Campos Jr., 1998 is revalidated. The four remaining populations previously assigned to Aegla paulensis are now recognized as different species, namely Aegla  vanini n. sp., Aegla japi n. sp., Aegla jaragua n. sp. and Aegla jundiai n. sp. All new species are described and illustrated and are well supported by both morphological and molecular data. Aegla lancinhas Bond-Buckup & Buckup in Santos et al., 2015, which until recently was confounded with Aegla paulensis s. str., is supported as a valid species. A key to all members of the A. paulensis species complex is provided, and their phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships to other closely related species is discussed.

Stenocionops furcatus (Olivier, 1791) and S. coelatus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1878) have been treated either as subspecies or as species in their own right, but never as each other's synonyms. Compared to S. coelatus, S. furcatus has been regarded as having smoother dorsal surface carapace, shorter rostral spines, straighter and less divergent rostrum. and smaller interorbital width. These morphological differences between the two species, however, can be attributed to changes over ontogeny and, therefore, cannot be used as distinguishing characters. Adults of S. coelatus and S. furcatus can, however, be safely separated from each other by the presence in S. coelatus of a strong crenation on the anterior margin of the male sterno-abdominal cavity, which is absent in S. furcatus. A lectotype for S. coelatus is designated. The synonymy between S. furcatus, Cancer cornudo Herbst, 1804, and Chorinus armatus Randall, 1839, is confirmed based on the holotypes of the latter two species.

A new genus and species of freshwater crab, Melothelphusa apiaka n. gen., n. sp., from Mato Grosso, Central Brazil is described and illustrated. Brasiliothelphusa dardanelosensis Magalhães & Türkay, 2010, is assigned to the new genus Melothelphusa. Therefore, the genus Brasiliothelphusa Magalhães & Türkay, 1986, is restricted to its type species B. tapajoense Magalhães & Türkay, 1986. The new taxa can be easily separated from their close relatives by a suite of morphological characters from the first gonopod.

The present study deals with shrimps of the family Alpheidae collected in the shallow waters around the remote Trindade & Martin Vaz Archipelago, situated 1200 km off the coast of Espírito Santo, Brazil. A few additional samples came from dredges on top of the seamounts of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain. A total of 23 species in eight genera are reported, the vast majority representing new records for the area. One species is described as new, Synalpheus trinitatis sp. nov., based on the type material from Trindade Island. The new species clearly belongs to the Synalpheus brooksi Coutière, 1909 species complex, differing from all its other members by at least two morphological features. Four species represent new records for Brazil and the southwestern Atlantic: Alpheopsis aequalis Coutière, 1897 sensu lato, Alpheopsis chalciope de Man, 1910 sensu lato, Alpheus crockeri (Armstrong, 1941) and Prionalpheus gomezi Martínez-Iglesias & Carvacho, 1991; the two species of Alpheopsis are recorded from the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. The colour pattern of the recently described Alpheus rudolphi Almeida & Anker, 2011, a species endemic to Brazil, is shown for the first time and compared to the colour patterns of the four closely related species of the A. armatus Rathbun, 1901 complex from the Caribbean-Florida region. A brief zoogeographical analysis of the alpheid fauna of the oceanic islands of the tropical southern Atlantic (Trindade & Martin Vaz, Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, São Pedro & São Paulo, Ascension, Saint Helena, Cape Verde, São Tomé & Príncipe) is also provided.

Recently a new species of bombyliid fly, Marleyimyia xylocopae, was described by Marshall & Evenhuis (2015) based on two photographs taken during fieldwork in the Republic of South Africa. This species has no preserved holotype. The paper generated some buzz, especially among dipterists, because in most cases photographs taken in the field provide insufficient information for properly diagnosing and documenting species of Diptera.

A new species of freshwater crab, Kingsleya celioi, from the Brazilian Amazon (Pará State) is described and illustrated. The new species can be easily separated from their congeners by a suite of morphological characters, including the apical plate of the first gonopod large, widest medially in abdominal view, with single large spine-like outgrowth in midlength of mesial margin; distal, proximal lobes of apical plate unequal in size, distal lobe largest, tapering distally in lateral view.

A collection of Paguroidea recently obtained during deep-water expeditions along the coast of Brazil, forms the basis of this report. Of the 14 species reported from Brazil, 11 represent range extensions to the south, and one, Michelopagurus atlanticus (Bouvier, 1922), is a first record for the western Atlantic. The specimens were compared with types and western Atlantic materials deposited in various major museums. A diagnosis and illustrations are presented for each of seven species found to be poorly or insufficiently known. New material and information is reported for two additional species that occur in Brazil but not found in the recent deep-water collections: Clibanarius symmetricus (Randall, 1840) and Mixtopagurus paradoxus A. Milne-Edwards, 1880. Remarkable and unique color photographs of live or fresh specimens of Allodardanus bredini Haig & Provenzano, 1965, Bathynarius anomalus (A. Milne-Edwards & Bouvier, 1893), Pylopagurus discoidalis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1880), Paguristes spinipes A. Milne-Edwards, 1880, Parapagurus pilosimanus Smith, 1876, and P. alaminos Lemaitre, 1986, are presented. A review of published records and museum collections of the terrestrial Coenobita clypeatus (Fabricius, 1787), has shown that the southern range limit of this species does not extend beyond the southern Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago, and thus does not occur on the Brazilian coast as previously believed. A distribution map of C. clypeatus is provided based on specimens in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. New distribution records in the Gulf of Mexico and southern Caribbean, and morphological information, are included for Pagurus rotundimanus Wass, 1963, a species originally described from the Florida Keys but rarely reported since. Relevant remarks on the taxonomy, morphology, and distribution of all these species are included. The revised list of Paguroidea known from Brazil is updated, and now includes a total of 62 species in the families Pylochelidae (1), Diogenidae (27), Paguridae (28), and Parapaguridae (6). A synopsis of primary taxonomic works on western Atlantic Paguroidea is also presented.

A new genus, Teramnonotus n. gen., is erected for Elamena gordonae Monod, 1956. The new genus includes two new species, T. johnlucasi n. gen., n. sp. and T. monodi n. gen., n. sp., described herein from eastern Australia (Queensland) and the southwestern Atlantic (Brazil), respectively. Teramnonotus n. gen. superficially resembles Elamena H. Milne Edwards, 1837, and Trigonoplax H. Milne Edwards, 1853, of which it can be easily distinguished by a combination of characters: eyes and ocular peduncle, rostrum, carapace, thoracic sternite 8 and thoracic pleurite 8, and the inhalant water openings. The validity of the obscure species Elamena mexicana H. Milne Edwards, 1853, is not supported and it is synonymised with Halicarcinus planatus (Fabricius, 1775).

A new species of spider crab, Naxia atlantica n. sp., is described and illustrated from deep waters off São Paulo (southeastern Brazil). The new species can be separated from its congeners by a suite of characters including shapes of the propodi of the walking legs, rostrum and basal antennal article. This is the first record of the genus outside southern Australia and New Zealand.

A new species of freshwater crab, Microthelphusa furcifer, is described and illustrated from the Potaro-Siparuni Kuribrong River in the Guyana Shield (Amazon region of Guyana). The new species can be easily separated from its congeners by the morphology of the first gonopod. The first gonopod of Microthelphusa meansi Cumberlidge, 2007, is illustrated to clarify some aspects of its morphology.

The present study deals with four species of benthic deep-water caridean shrimps collected on the continental slope off southeastern Brazil, between 360 m and 900 m. The deepwater pandalid Bitias stocki Fransen, 1990, previously known only from a few localities in the eastern Atlantic, is reported for the first time from the western Atlantic (Brazil). The Brazilian material of B. stocki also represents the first record of the genus Bitias Fransen, 1990 in the western Atlantic. The palaemonid Periclimenes tenellus (Smith, 1882), previously known only from South Carolina and New Jersey, USA, is reported for the first time from Brazil, representing a considerable range extension of this uncommon species into the southwestern Atlantic. Another deepwater palaemonid shrimp is described as new: Periclimenes bathyalis sp. nov. The new species is morphologically closest to the echinoid associates Periclimenes milleri Bruce, 1986 and Periclimenes ingressicolumbi Berggren & Svane, 1989. Finally, the bizarre deepwater crangonid genus Prionocrangon Wood-Mason in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891 is reported for the first time from Brazil and the southwestern Atlantic, where it is represented by a new species, Prionocrangon brasiliensis sp. nov.

A new species of deep-water brachyuran crab, Robertsella meridionalis, from Brazil is described and illustrated. The new species can be easily separated from its northwestern Atlantic counterpart, R. mystica Guinot, 1969, by a suite of carapace and appendage characters. Robertsella mystica is redescribed and illustrated. Putative sound-producing structures in the genus Robertsella are first described.

The patterns of complexity of the male and female sexual openings in Brachyura, which have been the source of uncertainties and conflicting opinions, are documented, together with a study of the morphologies of the coxal and sternal gonopores in both sexes, penises, spermathecae, and gonopods. The vulvae, male gonopores and penises are described among selected taxa of Eubrachyura, and their function and evolution examined in the context of a wide variety of mating behaviours. The location of female and male gonopores, the condition of the penis (coxal and sternal openings and modalities of protection), and related configurations of thoracic sternites 7 and 8, which are modified by the intercalation of a wide sternal part (thoracic sternites 7 and 8) during carcinisation, show evidence of deep homology. They represent taxonomic criteria at all ranks of the family-series and may be used to test lineages. Of particular significance are the consequences of the posterior expansion of the thoracic sternum, which influences the condition, shape, and sclerotisation of the penis, and its emergence from coxal (heterotreme) to coxo-sternal, which is actually still coxal (heterotreme), in contrast to a sternal emergence (thoracotreme). The heterotreme-thoracotreme distinction results from two different trajectories of the vas deferens and its ejaculatory duct via the P5 coxa (Heterotremata) or through the thoracic sternum (Thoracotremata). Dissections of males of several families have demonstrated that this major difference not only affects the external surface (perforation of the coxa or the sternum by the ejaculatory duct) but also the internal anatomy. There is no evidence for an ejaculatory duct passing through the articular membrane between the P5 coxa and the thoracic sternum in any Brachyura, even when the sternal male gonopore is very close to the P5 coxa. Trends towards the coxo-sternal condition are exemplified by multistate characters, varying from a shallow depression to a long groove along expanded sternites 7 and 8, and ultimately their complete, extended junction typifying the most derived coxo-sternal condition. The coxo-sternal condition is indicative of a long evolutionary history, as evidenced by the presence of multistate characters (e.g., Dorippidae, Goneplacoidea) or by a single, well-established condition (e.g., Chasmocarcinidae, Ethusidae, Panopeidae Eucratopsinae, Rhizopidae, Scalopidiidae). The penial area proves to be an essential diagnostic feature in Brachyura, with a value comparable to that of the gonopods. Penis protection is ubiquitous in Brachyura irrespective of length, and several modalities of protection prevail, which necessitate different modifications of associated structures. A long penis in a gutter developed from a partial invagination of sternite 8 induces the formation of a new "suture" at the same level as the preceding suture 6/7. Such a "supplementary suture 7/8" exists among unrelated heterotreme families (e.g., Ethusidae, Panopeidae Eucratopsinae, Pseudorhombilidae, Rhizopidae). A fully protected penis, concealed in a groove within a complete invagination of sternite 8 in the form of two contiguous plates, evolved independently (homoplasy) in Palicoidea and Chasmocarcinidae (Goneplacoidea), with sternite 8 present as a single plate in females. In condylar protection, described for the first time and occurring in several heterotreme families, the penis emerges from the extremity of the P5 coxo-sternal condyle or from its anterior border instead of from the coxa itself. A penis precisely lodged in a small excavation on sternite 8, which is lined by a row of stiff setae, is unique to Brachyura, and represents a new synapomorphy of the Homoloidea. Five modalities of penis protection are recognised in Podotremata, eight in Eubrachyura (six in Heterotremata and two in Thoracotremata). Special attention has been paid to Dorippoidea (Dorippidae and Ethusidae), which shows transformation series from coxal to coxo-sternal conditions. The coxo-sternal condition is not an intermediate towards the thoracotreme organisation, and a step in heterotreme evolution is the adoption of the coxo-sternal condition. An extreme carcinisition may also result in the sternal arrangement of male gonopores in the form of a "sternitreme" disposition, as in the case of Hymenosomatoidea, which displays a broad thoracic sternum and true sternal male gonopores (as in thoracotremes) together with several plesiomorphic traits that are assumed to represent an old, deeply-rooted heterotreme clade. A sternitreme condition evolved independently in the most ancestral heterotreme clades (such as Hymenosomatoidea) and in Thoracotremata. The older the lineage of a heterotreme is, the higher the possibility of having evolved carcinisation. Evidence that "derived" traits may be the consequence of a strong carcinisation, rather than being recently acquired, necessitates reconsidering certain character states in Brachyura. Eubrachyurans can only evolve either the heterotreme or the thoracotreme arrangement, the consistency of the inferred ancestral characters states providing a useful criterion for evaluating ancestral trait reconstructions. A widened thoracic sternum together with sternal gonopores may be present in carcinised heterotremes such as hymenosomatoids. The thoracic sternum provides a reliable complex of characters that must be carefully interpreted. The hypothesis of a coxo-sternal disposition in Cryptochiroidea and Pinnotheroidea, generally considered thoracotremes, is rejected, and an alternative interpretation of their status is discussed. A new interpretation of the phylogeny of Cryptochiroidea is outlined, but the origin of Pinnotheroidea remains puzzling. The sella turcica, frequently regarded a synapomorphy of Eubrachyura, is redefined as the structure formed by the endosternal intertagmal phragma that connects the tagma/thorax and the tagma/abdomen to thoracic interosternite 7/8. It is here termed the "brachyuran sella turcica" and is shown to be synapomorphic to all Brachyura. The Eubrachyura synapomorphically shares the fusion of the thoracic interopleurite 7/8 with the brachyuran sella turcica, forming the "eubrachyuran sella turcica". In contrast, some Podotremata (Cyclodorippoidea and Raninoidea) share a connection between the sella turcica and the thoracic interosternite 6/7. Six main patterns of the thoracic sternum in relation to variations in sutures 4/5-7/8 are recognised in Eubrachyura, whereas several subpatterns that include variations in the median line are distinguished. The evolution of the thoracic sternum and axial skeleton is reassessed in Podotremata and Eubrachyura. A posteriormost location of the male gonopore (coxal or sternal) in relation to sternite 8 characterises many brachyurans (Cryptochiroidea, Hymenosomatoidea, Majoidea, Matutidae, Menippidae, Orithyioidea, Parthenopoidea, Ucididae, Grapsoidea--including Percnidae, Plagusiidae, Varunidae), in contrast to a location close to suture 7/8 in other groups. The thoracic sternum/pterygostome junction, which has multistate characters, is shown to be a valuable taxonomic criterion. The shapes of the sterno-abdominal depression and sterno-abdominal cavity provide diagnostic features that are helpful in suprageneric assignments. The monophyly of Brachyura, Eubrachyura, and Thoracotremata is reaffirmed. The monophyly of Brachyura is supported by the interdependence of the two pairs of gonopods and penis. An abdomen permanently flexed and held by the pereopods and/or the homoloid press button (on sternite 4) or typical eubrachyuran press-button (on sternite 5) may be considered a synapomorphy of Brachyura, the absence of this condition considered a loss. The double abdominal-locking system ("double peg") on sternite 5, a device discovered in three families of the extinct Palaeocorystoidea from the Upper Aptian, is similar to the double hook present in living lyreidids, although it is lost in all other raninoid extant members. New evidence shows that the abdominal holding was an early occurrence for a brachyuran crab. The Raninoidea, sister to Palaeocorystoidea, is characterised by gymnopleurity, a condition that results from the lifting of the carapace and thus the exposure of several pleurites. The narrowing of the body and thoracic sternum, almost certainly associated with their burrowing behaviour, is a diagnostic feature of raninoid evolution, in contrast to the widening observed in the remaining Brachyura. The monophyly of Heterotremata is discussed. Although the correct assignment of the coxal male gonopore and sternal female gonopore (vulva) at the base of Decapoda and Eubrachyura, respectively, left no synapomorphies to support the Heterotremata, the group nevertheless should be regarded as the sister group to Thoracotremata. The controversial monophyly of Podotremata is discussed and arguments are presented against the suppression of this taxon. The distinction of Homoloidia from Dromioidia is argued, and a classification of Podotremata, which considers the fossil record whenever possible, is presented. The earliest brachyurans are re-examined, and a new interpretation of the phylogeny of several basal eubrachyuran groups (Dorippoidea, Inachoididae, Palicoidea, Retroplumoidea) is proposed. Stenorhynchus shares a number of characters with the Inachoididae that differentiate them from Inachidae, and also has some distinctive features that warrants its assignment to a separate inachoidid subfamily, Stenorhynchinae, which is resurrected. The concealment strategies among Brachyura are documented and discussed. Podotremes use carrying behaviour, often combined with burying and concealment under substrates, whereas living within a host, burying, and decoration are used by heterotremes, burrowing being essentially a thoracotreme strategy. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)