New Records of Brachyuran Decapod Crustaceans from the Continental Shelf Off North Carolina, U.S.A. by Austin B. Williams, L. R
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NEW RECORDS OF BRACHYURAN DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS FROM THE CONTINENTAL SHELF OFF NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A. BY AUSTIN B. WILLIAMS, L. R. McCLOSKEYand I. E. GRAY University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, N. C. 28557, U.S.A. and Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, N. C. 28516, U.S.A. Investigations on benthic fauna of the continental shelf off North Carolina between approximately 36° and 34° N latitude have yielded considerable infor- mation on zoogeography of the region. There is growing evidence (Cerame- Vivas & Gray, 1966) that distribution of benthic fauna in the Cape Hatteras region is influenced by movements of water masses of different temperatures. The cold Virginian coastal current flows southwesterly from New England to Cape Hatteras; the warm northeasterly flowing Florida Current (Gulf Stream) overlays the outer shelf. Thus much of the shelf bottom fauna under the Florida Current is tropical or subtropical, while a boreal fauna invades the inner shelf north of Cape Hatteras. This report treats additional marine decapod crustacean material from North Carolina not included in the paper on distributional pattern of benthic inverte- brates by Cerame-Vivas & Gray (1966) or Williams' (1965) handbook on marine decapod crustaceans of the Carolinas. Collecting was done by L. R. McCloskey and I. E. Gray on the Duke University R/V "Eastward". Of 29 species reported, 20 are new records (range extensions); the remaining 9 have been reported from North Carolina before but were not included by Williams (1965). All of the 20 new records represent species with distinctly southern affinities: species formerly reported mostly from southern Florida and the Caribbean. This is to be expected in light of recent zoogeographic studies, and it now seems possible that many more decapods reported from the Caribbean may also be found near Cape Hatteras in waters influenced by the Gulf Stream near the northern extreme of the Carolinian Province. Five species were not included in Williams' (1965) list of North Carolina decapods because they were primarily deep-water species (greater than 180 m). They have been added here because our collections indicate they are sometimes found on the continental shelf. These deeper water species range generally from Massachusetts to Florida. One northern species (recorded range, Nantucket to Cape Hatteras) is reported south of Cape Hatteras. In addition, new collections of three shallower water southern species whose occurrence off North Carolina 42 was indicated by an old "Albatross" record, have now had their presence confirmed. The format followed here is similar to that of Williams (1965). Arrangement of species follows Rathbun (1918, 1930, and 1937) except for the Oxyrhyncha where we have followed Garth (1958). Measurements are those of specimens reported as new records, unless otherwise noted. Representatives of all species have been deposited in the arthropod collections of the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the National Science Foundation for financial assistance. The research was supported by NSF Grant G-25128 to 1. E. Gray; cruises on the R/V "Eastward" were supported by NSF Grant G-17669 to Duke University. We wish to thank Dr. Fenner A. Chace, Jr., and Dr. Raymond B. Manning of the U. S. National Museum for aid in identification; Mr. William W. Kirby-Smith for much of the preliminary sorting and identification; Mrs. Doris H. King who made the drawings; Dr. Herbert W. Levi, Museum of Com- parative Zoology, for loan of specimens; and Dr. John H. Day for permission to include his record of Pinnixa floridana. SYSTEMATICAND ECOLOGICALDISCUSSION DROMIACEA Latreilliidae Latreillia Roux, 1830 Kathbun, 1937: 73; China, 1966: 256. Latreillia elegans P. Roux (fig. 1) Latreillia elegczn.rP. Roux, 1830: pl. 22; Hay & Shore, 1918: 419, pl. 31 fig. 4; Rathbun, 1937: 73, text-fig. 18, pl. 20, pl. 21 figs. 1-8. - Measurements. Carapace: male, length, 10 mm; greatest width, 5.2 mm. Habitat. - 128 to 365 meters. - Type locality. Sicily. - Reported range. Both sides of North Atlantic: Massachusetts (Nantucket Shoals) to Cuba and Mediterranean; Natal. Record. - "Eastward" Sta. 3172, 35°19,o'N 74°55.0'W to 35°17.7'N 74°56.7'W; 170-205 m; 26 October 1965; 1 male. OXYSTOMATA . Dorippidae Ethusa P. Roux, 1830 .