CRABS (BRACHYURA) OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

Crabs of the Gulf of Mexico 59
based on a listing by Hildebrand (1954) in which the subspecies identification
may have been in error. Felder (1973a) indicates that more recent collections
in the northwestern Gulf are of crabs similar to S. furcata coelata, and other
records confirm the presence of this latter form in the region. Neither of the
two specimens cited bj^ Rathbun (1925, p. 542) are determined for the Gulf.
Guinot-Dumortier (1960) remarked that the male pleopod of this species is very
similar to the pleopods of three Pacific species figured by Garth (1958). Listed
fromBrazil by Coelho and Ramos (1972).
Stenocionops furcata coelata (A. Milne Edwards, 1878) (Bull. Soc. Philom.,
ser. 7,2:224)
Hay & Shore, 1918, p. 460, pi. 39, fig. 3; Kathbun, 1925, p. +50, pi. 164; Kathbun,
1933, p. 34; Williams, 1965, p. 261, figs. 241, 245H; Felder, 1973a, p. 53, pi. 7,
fig. 12.
Range: North Carolina to south Florida; Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas; west
and northwest coasts of Florida; Alabama to Texas; north and east coasts of
Yucatan; north coast of Cuba; Puerto Rico; St. Lucia; Barbados.
Depth: shallow water to 110 m (to 60 fm), rarely to 508 m (278 fm).
Habitat: sand, shell, and coral bottoms, usually of coarse material; on shelly
reefs off North Carolina.
Remarks: Early Gulf records distinguishing this subspecies from the typical
form may be confused (Felder, 1973a). A single specimen taken off St. Joseph
Island, Texas (Hildebrand, 1954) is probably coelata; it was covered with algae,
hydroids, bryozoans, three small Ostrea, and three large Calliactis tricolor.
Listed from the Gulf of Mexico (Chace, 1956) and from northwest Florida
(Wass, 1955; Hulings, 1961; Abele, 1970). Ovigerous females occur in Florida
from March to August (Williams, 1965).
Stenocionops spinimana (Rathbun, 1892) (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 15: 240)
Hay & Shore, 1918, p. 460, pi. 39, fig. 2; Rathbun, 1925, p. 457, pi. 267; Williams,
1965, p. 262, figs. 242, 2451; Pequegnat, 1970, p. 182.
Range: North and South Carolina; Florida Keys; west coast of Florida to off
Mississippi.
Depth: 37 to 227 m (20tol24fm).
Habitat: mud, sand, shell, coral, and rock bottoms.
Remarks: Williams (1965) noted the age-related variability in the morphology
of this and related species. Rathbun (1925) listed ovigerous females from
South Carolina in December. Listed by Chace (1956) from the Gulf of Mexico
and by Franks et al. (1972) off Mississippi at 37 to 91 m depth.
Stenocionops spinosissima (Saussure, 1857) (Rev. Mag. Zool., ser. 2, 9: 501)
Rathbun, 1925, p. 455, pi. 165, fig. 2, pi. 264, figs. 3^., pi. 265; Chace, 1940, p. 67;
Williams, McCloskey & Gray, 1968, p. 62; Pequegnat, 1970, p. 182; Felder, 1973a,
p.52,pl. 7,fig. 11.
Range: North Carolina; south and southwest Florida; off Texas and east coast
of Mexico; north coast of Cuba; Haiti; Guadeloupe; Dominica; Rio de Janeiro
and Fernando de Noronha, Brazil.