Munidopsis polita ( Smith, 1883 )

Schmidt, Gustavo A. & Melo-Filho, De, 2008, Specimens of Galatheidae (Crustacea: Decapoda) collected by N. Pq. “ Soloncy Moura ” off the Southern Coast of Brazil under the Revizee Program, Zootaxa 1841, pp. 31-42 : 38

Munidopsis polita ( Smith, 1883)

Anoplonotus politus Smith, 1883: 50 , pl. 2-fig. 1, pl. 3: fig. 1–5a.

Munidopsis polita .— Benedict 1902: 324; Chace, 1942: 75; Pequegnat & Pequegnat 1970: 155; 1971: 6, 21; Pequegnat 1975: 44; Wenner 1982: 369, 373, tab. 3; Wenner & Read 1982: 188, tab. 2; Poupin 1994: 39; Melo-Filho 1998: 396; Melo-Filho 2006: 5, fig. 2 tabs. 1, 2.

Material Examined. Brazil: Santa Catarina – N. Pq. “Soloncy Moura”: st. 401, 598 m, 1 ex. ( MZUSP 16439).

Recognition characters. Carapace dorsally smooth and unarmed. Rostrum triangular, minutely serrate or with small scattered spines. Cornea and eyestalk unarmed. Abdominal tergites smooth and unarmed. No epipods on chelipeds or ambulatory legs. Third maxilliped with 1 strong tooth on ventral (flexor) surface of merus.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Massachusetts (Martha’s Vineyard); Virginia; Florida (Straits), Gulf of Mexico (northwest), Nicaragua, Lesser Antilles ( Guadeloupe), Colombia and Brazil (São Paulo and Santa Catarina). Between 129 and 860 meters depth.

Remarks. First occurrence off Santa Catarina coast.