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CRABS (BRACHYURA) OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

CRABS (BRACHYURA) OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

CRABS (BRACHYURA) OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

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Family<br />

Dromiidae<br />

Prosopidae<br />

Homolidae<br />

Latreillidae<br />

Raninidae<br />

Dorippidae<br />

Calappidae<br />

Leucosiidae<br />

Hapalocarcinidae<br />

Majidae<br />

Parthenopidae<br />

Atelecyclidae<br />

Cancridae<br />

Portunidae<br />

Xanthidae<br />

Geryonidae<br />

Goneplacidae<br />

Palicidae<br />

Pinnotheridae<br />

Grapsidae<br />

Gecarcinidae<br />

Ocypodidae<br />

Total<br />

TABLE IV<br />

Species Distribution Within the Gulf of Mexico<br />

Total<br />

species<br />

5<br />

2<br />

4<br />

1<br />

7<br />

16<br />

13<br />

15<br />

1<br />

77<br />

13<br />

1<br />

1<br />

27<br />

69<br />

1<br />

19<br />

9<br />

31<br />

21<br />

4<br />

15<br />

352<br />

1<br />

5<br />

1<br />

2<br />

1<br />

5<br />

8<br />

11<br />

13<br />

1<br />

61<br />

10<br />

0<br />

1<br />

23<br />

61<br />

1<br />

12<br />

5<br />

16<br />

16<br />

2<br />

6<br />

261<br />

Crabs of the Gulf of Mexico 13<br />

2<br />

2<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

2<br />

5<br />

8<br />

0<br />

38<br />

6<br />

1<br />

0<br />

11<br />

28<br />

1<br />

5<br />

5<br />

12<br />

3<br />

0<br />

7<br />

145<br />

Gulf Region (F. Igure 1)<br />

3 4 5<br />

these regions. An analysis of breeding tiraies and collection sites of ovigerous<br />

females, combined with data on circulation patterns of currents, larval maturation<br />

periods, and tolerances to environmental parameters (temperature, salinity,<br />

oxygen content, etc.), will be necessary to establish a comprehensive biogeography<br />

of Gulf crabs.<br />

DISCUSSION<br />

The distribution of decapod crustaceans in the western Atlantic has been the<br />

subject of several discussions in recent years. Hedgpeth (1953) summarized<br />

much of what was knowia about the geology and zoogeography of the Gulf of<br />

Mexico. He emphasized the role of Pleistocene sea level changes and their effects<br />

on continuous distributions of marine organisms in the Carolinian Province, a<br />

region encompassing shores and adjacent waters from Texas to Cape Hatteras.<br />

After the Florida peninsula emerged, isolation of the Gulf and Atlantic populations<br />

occurred for many species not able to circumvent the tropical waters of<br />

South Florida. The distributions of Ovalipes and Uca were cited by Abele (1970)<br />

as examples. For this reason the range citations in the present contribution<br />

attempt to distinguish eastern, southern, and western Florida records.<br />

3<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

2<br />

2<br />

5<br />

3<br />

0<br />

20<br />

4<br />

1<br />

0<br />

13<br />

26<br />

1<br />

8<br />

2<br />

10<br />

8<br />

2<br />

8<br />

118<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

0<br />

2<br />

1<br />

3<br />

1<br />

0<br />

7<br />

0<br />

1<br />

0<br />

6<br />

4<br />

1<br />

2<br />

1<br />

1<br />

6<br />

3<br />

7<br />

47<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

2<br />

1<br />

3<br />

1<br />

0<br />

1<br />

0<br />

1<br />

0<br />

6<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

3<br />

3<br />

22<br />

6<br />

2<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

4<br />

1<br />

0<br />

15<br />

3<br />

0<br />

0<br />

11<br />

7<br />

0<br />

8<br />

3<br />

2<br />

3<br />

3<br />

6<br />

69<br />

7<br />

2<br />

2<br />

3<br />

1<br />

4<br />

11<br />

5<br />

3<br />

0<br />

31<br />

4<br />

0<br />

0<br />

16<br />

35<br />

1<br />

8<br />

4<br />

6<br />

11<br />

3<br />

7<br />

161

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