CRABS (BRACHYURA) OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

134 Lawrence W. Powers
As S. cinei-ea—Ha,y & Short, 1918, p. 449, pi. 36, fig. 11.
As S. cinereum—Rathbun, 1918, p. 300, text-fig, 149, pi. 83; Williams, 1965, p.
222, fig. 206; Felder, 1973a, p. 78, pi. 11, fig. 6; Abele, 1973, p. 377, figs. IB, IH.
Range: Maryland to southeast Florida; southwest Florida to Vera Cruz,
Mexico.
Habitat: on wharves, pilings, and other wooden objects; stone jetties and rocky
areas; in Spartina marshes and along the edges of mangrove swamps; burrows
from the high tide mark to well inland in mud and sand substrates; frequently
found on boats and ships.
Remarks: Abele (1973) states that previous records of S. cinereum from the
West Indies and elsewhere in the Caribbean were based on juvenile specimens
of S. ricordi and S. americanum. Regional lists include Florida (Wass, 1955;
Menzel, 1971; Subrahmanyam et al., 1976), Mississippi (Richmond, 1968),
Louisiana (Behre, 1950; Hoese and Valentine, 1972) and Texas (Hedgpeth, 1953;
Leary, 1967). Hedgpeth (1953) presented a map, showing the ranges of Sesarma
in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Williams (1965) listed ovigerous females from
North Carolina in May to November and from the mouth of the Potomac River
in January. Abele (1973) collected ovigerous females from Florida in June and
from Texas in Julj^ Sandifer (1973) commented on larval abundance in
Virginia.
Larval development was studied by Costlow, Bookhout and Monroe (1960)
and Costlow and Bookhout (1960b). Ecological notes were provided by Williams
(1965) and by Fotheringham and Brunenmeister (1975). Physiological studies
include observations on gill area (Gray, 1957), oxygen consumption (Teal,
1959), and tolerance to dilute salt water (Pearse, 1929). Observations on the
behavior of this crab in captivity were made by Oler (1941) and by Duncker
(1934).
Sesarina (Holometopus) miersii Rathbun, 1897 (Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington
11: 91)
Rathbun, 1918, p. 303 (part), pi. 84; Chace & Hobbs, 1969, p. 180, figs. 59, 62g-i;
Abele, 1972b, p. 166, figs. IB, IC, 2B, 2C; Abele, 1973, p. 380, fig. II.
Range: Bahamas; Key West, Florida; south coast of Cuba; Swan Island
(Carib.); Dominica. "^
Habitat: marshy tidal flats.
Remarks: Abele (1972b) reviewed the status of this crab and the confusion
in nomenclature that existed from Rathbun's (1897) description of Mier's original
material. Only the original specimens from the Bahamas became the type
material for this species. Specimens from Brazil in Rathbun (1918) are now
designated S. angustipes and the specimen from Uruguay is Metasesarma
ruhripes. Hartnoll (1965b) found no evidence of S. miersii in Jamaica and later
authors agree that the observations of Andrews cited in Rathbun (1918, p. 304)
refer to S. roberti (see Abele, 1973). The only Gulf of Mexico record is that
from Key West (Abele, 1973).