Célio Magalhães

Global diversity of crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) in freshwater

An assessment of the global freshwater crab diversity is presented. A total of 1,476 species in 14 families are currently known from all zoogeographical regions (except Antarctica), including 1,306 species in eight exclusively freshwater families (Pseudothelphusidae, Trichodactylidae, Potamonautidae, Deckeniidae, Platythelphusidae, Potamidae, Gecarcinucidae and Parathelphusidae). Estimates of true freshwater crab diversity including likely numbers of undescribed taxa suggest that the field remains largely in a “discovery” phase. Main ideas on the origins, diversification, and phylogeny of true freshwater crabs are briefly discussed. The economic importance of freshwater crabs is also highlighted.

Recent advances in the biology of the Neotropical freshwater crab family Pseudothelphusidae (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura)

Pseudothelphusidae e um grupo bem diversificado de caranguejos de agua doce neotropicais que compreende atualmente 40 generos e pelo menos 255 especies e subespecies. A biologia desses caranguejos vem sendo um ativo campo de pesquisa nos ultimos 20 anos. O objetivo desta contribuicao e discutir o significado do conhecimento adquirido sobre a biologia desses caranguejos dulcicolas apos setembro de 1992, enfatizar a relacao das diversas linhas de pesquisa e, ao mesmo tempo, sugerir novas linhas promissoras de investigacao. Sao relacionados todos os taxons descritos de setembro de 1992 a outubro de 2004, compreendendo um genero, um subgenero, 62 especies e cinco subespecies. Sao comentadas as implicacoes desse novo conhecimento na taxonomia, sistematica e biogeografia da familia.

Checklist of the Crustacea from the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

The list of Crustacean species from the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, comprises 518 valid species, distributed in 17 orders and 152 families. This amount corresponds to 0.75% of the Crustacea worldwide and about 20% of Brazilian species. The order Decapoda is the most represented, with 280 species. The families of Decapoda with the greatest number of species recorded were: Aeglidae (19), Palaemonidae (13) and Portunidae (13). In addition, the occurrence of 19 species distributed in the orders Cyclopoida (1), Podocopida (2) and Decapoda (16) is reported for the first time. Exotic species (9) are distributed in four different orders - Isopoda (6), Calanoida (1), Thoracica (1) and Decapoda (1).

Revisão taxonômica dos camarões de água doce (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae, Sergestidae) da Amazônia Peruana

Foi realizada uma revisao taxonomica das especies de camaroes de agua doce da Amazonia peruana que abrangeu oito especies da familia Palaemonidae e uma especie da familia Sergestidae. Sao descritas duas novas especies do genero Pseudopalaemon e feitos os primeiros registros de Euryrhynchus amazoniensis Tiefenbacher, 1978, Macrobrachium jelskii Miers, 1877 e Palaemonetes ivonicus Holthuis, 1950 para o Peru. Sao fornecidos chave de identificacao, dados distribucionais e ilustracoes para as especies estudadas.

O DESENVOLVIMENTO OVOCITÁRIO EM Macrobrachium amazonicum(Heller, 1862)(CRUSTACEA: DECAPODA: PALAEMONIDAE), CAMARÃO DULCÍCOLA DA REGIÃO AMAZÔNICA

E descrito o desenvolvimento ovocitario em Macrobrachium amazonicum(Heller, 1862), um camarao dulcicola da familia Palaemonidae da Amazonia Central. O seu desenvolvimento e semelhante ao de Macrobrachium acanthurus(Wiegmann, 1836). As fases iniciais do desenvolvimento ocupam a regiao intema do ovario, enquanto que as fases vitelogenica e madura situam-se perifericamente. Sao descritas ainda a morfologia dos foliculos pos-ovulatorios e das celulas foliculares.

Offspring production in three freshwater crab species (Brachyura: Pseudothelphusidae) from the Amazon region and Central America

Freshwater crabs are an important component of the fauna of limnic environments, and out of the two true freshwater crab families present in the Neotropics, Pseudothelphusidae is the most diverse. Considering the lack of information regarding reproductive features of neotropical freshwater crabs, we studied, for the first time, the fecundity and the presence of juveniles carried by females of two pseudothelphusids from the Amazon region - Kingsleya latifrons (Randall, 1840) and Kingsleya ytupora Magalhaes, 1986 - and one from Central America - Potamocarcinus magnus (Rathbun, 1896). The two Kingsleya species produced relatively few (56-114) and large eggs (1.9-3.7 mm), typical for species with an abbreviated or direct development. Recently produced eggs were substantially larger in K. latifrons (mean 2.83 mm) when compared to those of K. ytupora (mean 1.87 mm); however, at the end of the embryogenesis, mean egg diameter was similar in both species. Therefore, it is assumed that hatchlings in both species should have a similar size. A brief description of attached juveniles of K. ytupora is provided. The number of juveniles varied between 30 (K. ytupora) and 179 (P. magnus); two size groups of juveniles were found, which indicates that the offspring cling to their mother for a prolonged period of time. There was no significant loss of eggs and juveniles; it is assumed that parental care diminishes the loss of their offspring. We compiled the available information of reproductive aspects from freshwater crabs: egg diameter was in the range of 2-3 mm, independent of female size and fecundity, and reported egg number varied between 9 and 417 eggs.

Decapod crustaceans used as food by the Yanomami Indians of the Balawa-ú village, State of Amazonas, Brazil

The Yanomami are a group of South American Indians that live in the rainforest along the borderlands of Brazil and Venezuela. They depend on hunting, gardening and wild food for survival; crustaceans are a highly prized food item in their diet. Taxonomical and ethnozoological aspects of the Yanomami Indians of the Balawa-u village, state of Amazonas, Brazil, related to the crustaceans are described. Information and specimens were obtained from August to December, 2003. Interviews were conducted with residents of the village and focused on questions about species exploited, indigenous names, modes of capture and use of the species. One shrimp species of the family Palaemonidae (Macrobrachium brasiliense) and two crab species of Trichodactylidae (Sylviocarcinus pictus, Valdivia serrata) as well as two of Pseudothelphusidae (Fredius fittkaui, F. platyacanthus) were recorded. The indigenous names applied to these species are: shuhu, for shrimp, oko and peimatherimi for each of the two pseudothelphusid crabs, and hesiki totorema for both trichodactylid crabs.

Morphometric variability in populations of Palaemonetes spp. (Crustacea, Decapoda, Palaemonidae) from the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon Basin

Morphometric variability among shrimp populations of the genus Palaemonetes Heller, 1869 from seven lakes (Huanayo and Urcococha, in Peru; Amana, Mamiraua, Camaleao, Cristalino e Irucanga, in Brasil) in the Amazon Basin, presumably belonging to Palaemonetes carteri Gordon, 1935 and Palaemonetes ivonicus Holthuis, 1950, were studied. The morphometric studies were carried out from the ratios obtained from the morphometric characters. Multivariated analysis (Principal Components Analysis-PCA, Discriminant Function Analysis and Cluster Analysis) were applied over the ratios. Intra- and interpopulation variations of the rostrum teeth, and the number of spines in the male appendix, were analyzed through descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis (Spearman Rank Correlation test). Results indicated a wide plasticity and overlapping in the studied ratios between populations. The Principal Components Analysis was not able to separate different populations, revealing a large intrapopulation plasticity and strong interpopulation similarity in the studied ratios. Although the Discriminant Functions Analysis was not able to fully discriminate populations, they could be allocated in three subgroups: 1) Cristalino and Irucanga; 2) Huanayo, Urcococha and Camaleao and 3) Mamiraua and Amana. The first two groups were morphometrically separated from each other, whereas the third one presented a strong overlap with the former two. The Cluster Analysis confirmed the first two subgroups separation, and indicated that the first and third groups were closely related. Rostrum teeth and number of spines in the appendix masculina showed a large intrapopulation variation and a strong overlapping among the studied populations, regardless of the species.

New records of Fredius denticulatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) and F. reflexifrons (Ortmann, 1897), and the eastern limits of the distribution of pseudothelphusid crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda) in Brazil

The occurence of Fredius reflexifrons (Ortmann, 1897), a pseudothelphusid crab widely distributed in the Amazon region and the Atlantic Guianas, is recorded from the state of Ceara, northeastern Brazil. Other records of this species and Fredius denticulatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) from the Amazon region are also presented. A discussion is made on the eastern limits of the distribution of the family Pseudothelphusidae in Brazil.

The Larval Development of Palaemonid Shrimps from the Amazon region reared In the laboratory. VII. Abbreviated development of Pseudopalaemon amazonensis Ramos-Porto, 1979 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea)

Foi estudado o desenvolvimento larval do camarao dulcicola Pseudopalaemon amazonensis Ramos-Porto criado em laboratorio, a partir das larvas eclodidas de femeas ovadas coletadas em um pequeno igarape de terra-firme das proximidades de Manaus, Brasil. Femeas ovadas de comprimento total medio de 36,5 ± 1,9 mm carregavam 13-19 ovos elipticos e ricos em vitelo, medindo 2,55 ± 0,16 x 1,64 ± 0,11 mm. O periodo larval consistiu de 3 estagios larvais bentonicos e as larvas alcancaram a metamorfose apos 7-8 dias, sem ingestao de alimento. A larva recem-eclodida apresentou olhos sesseis e todos os apendices, a excecao dos uropodos; queliopodos estavam presentes na forma de botoes unirremes, mas as pernas locomotoras estavam totalmente desenvolvidas e funcionais. Sao apresentadas as descricoes e ilustracoes dos 3 estagios larvais e do 1o estagio de juvenil.