Occurrence of the family Pinnotheridae de Haan (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) on the coast of Ceará State, Brazil

Abstract

This study reports the occurrence of Austinixa bragantina Coelho, 2005; A. leptodactyla (Coelho, 1997) and Zaops ostreum (Say, 1817) for the State of Ceará, Northeast Brazil. These records represent the first account of the family Pinnotheridae de Haan, 1883 for the coast of Ceará. A. bragantina was collected on May and June 1995 at Futuro Beach, municipality of Fortaleza (3°42'S,38°27'W). This species was previously known only for the type locality, Canela Island, Bragança, Pará, Brazil. A. leptodactyla was collected on November 2004 at Baleia Beach, municipality of Itapipoca (3°08'S,39°27'W) and Z. ostreum was obtained from the oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae Guilding, 1828, collected on November 2005 at the Jaguaribe River estuary, municipality of Fortim (4°24'S,37°46'W). Biogeographic considerations regarding the three species and an updated list of all known Brazilian pinnotherid species along with their geographic distribution are also provided.