Carlos Eduardo Rocha Duarte Alencar

Shell occupation by the South Atlantic endemic hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis (Moreira, 1901) (Anomura: Diogenidae)

The evaluation of population characteristics, particularly those of endemic species, aids in population preservation and management. Hermit crabs present an innate behavior of occupying shells, which tends to individual needs and limits their distribution. This study characterized the pattern of occupation of gastropod shells by the hermit Loxopagurus loxochelis in three bays of the southwestern coast of Brazil. Monthly collections were made from January/1998 to December/1999 in the bays Ubatumirim (UBM), Ubatuba (UBA) and Mar Virado (MV) with a shrimping boat. Overall, ten species of gastropod shells were occupied by L. loxochelis. The shell of Olivancillaria urceus represented 66.8% of those occupied. Morphometric relationships demonstrated a differential occupation of the more abundant shells among demographic groups, where most of the males occupied O. urceus, non-ovigerous females occupied O. urceus and Buccinanops cochlidium, and ovigerous females occupied B. cochlidium and Stramonita haemastoma. Most of the individuals occupied the more abundant shells, considered adequate for the morphology of this hermit crab species. Thus, the studied bays seem to be stable and propitious environments for population perpetuation and the settlement of new individuals.

Life-history traits of the red brocade hermit crab Dardanus insignis on the subtropical Brazilian coast

Abstract We evaluated the population characteristics of Dardanus insignis, focusing on the reproductive period, juvenile recruitment, sexual maturity, growth and longevity of the species. Samples were collected monthly over two years (1998 and 1999), by trawling, in a subtropical region of Brazil. The hermit crabs were counted by demographic group, weighed and measured for cephalothoracic shield length, and their gonadal stage was identified using a stereo microscope. A total of 3169 hermit crabs were captured (1838 males and 1331 females). Ovigerous females were found from September to March; juvenile recruitment occurred throughout the year, peaking in summer. Males reached sexual maturity at larger sizes than females (cephalothoracic shield length = 4.4 and 4.1 mm, respectively). Longevity was estimated at 6.9 years for males and 4.3 years for females. The seasonal reproductive strategy, sexual maturity at similar sizes for males and females, continuous recruitment and differential growth are basic factors in the establishment and maintenance of the high abundance of D. insignis compared with other hermit crab species in the same region.

New record of blue swimming crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Crustacea: Portunidae) for the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil

The species Callinectes sapidus is reported for the first time in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil. In Brazil, this species is only known from the state of Rio Grande do Sul to the state of Paraiba. In this work, one more gap about the distribution of this species was discovered. Samplings were gathered in two localities: Cavalos River and Ceara-mirim River, north and east coast of Rio Grande do Norte, respectively. This new record increases information about the singular distribution of this species, known for being the only species of Callinectes with disjoint distribution in the Americas.

First record of Potimirim potimirim (Müller, 1881) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Atyidae) from Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil

Potimirim potimirim (Muller, 1881), a species of coastal freshwater shrimp, is recorded for the first time from the state of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern of Brazil, where it was collected in a small tributary of the Potengi River. This record extends the distribution of this species about 220 km north along Brazilian coast. New records, such as this, reinforce the need for greater research efforts in the northeastern freshwater ecosystems of Brazil to provide better understand the region’s biodiversity and establish better parameters for conservation actions.

New record of the Six-holed Keyhole Urchin, Leodia sexiesperforata (Leske, 1778) (Clypeasteroida, Mellitidae), from the Brazilian coast, with an updated distribution map

A new record of Leodia sexiesperforata is reported from the coast of Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern Brazil. An updated distribution map based on data collected from literature, museums, and scientific collections is also presented. This new report fills a distribution gap on the coast of northeastern Brazil. Leodia sexiesperforata has a continuous range between the states of Ceará and Alagoas.

First record of bilateral hypertrophy in chelas of Uca rapax male specimen (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) on the Brazilian coastline

Grupo de Estudos em Ecologia e Fisiologia de Animais Aquaticos (GEEFAA) Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte Departamento de Botânica Ecologia e Zoologia Campus Universitario

First record of the association between the porcellanid crab Porcellana sayana and the brachyuran crab Stratiolibinia bellicosa

carlos eduardo rocha duarte alencar, alex barbosa moraes, sa’vio arcanjo santos nascimento moraes, paulo victor nascimento arau’ jo and fu’ lvio aure’lio morais freire GEEFAA (Grupo de Estudos em Ecologia e Fisiologia de Animais Aquaticos), Departamento de Biologia, Ecologia e Zoologia, Centro de Biociencias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Campus Universitario Lagoa Nova, Caixa Postal 1524, CEP 59078-970, Natal, Brazil, Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Campus Macau, CEP 59500-000, Macau, Brazil