This study reports further occurrence of the crab Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Euryplacidae) along the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu, India. The crabs were obtained from a depth of 40-60 m in the trawl by-catch. The morphological features, color and distribution of these crabs are given

A Sundaramanickam

E Rajalakshmi

K Silambarasan

K Sujatha

Biotemas

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Revista Biotemas, 30 (2), junho de 201751Biotemas, 30 (2): 51-55, junho de 2017ISSNe  2175-7925 http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2017v30n2p51Short CommunicationFurther records of rare brachyuran crab Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura Euryplacidae) along the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu, IndiaK. Silambarasan 1*K. Sujatha 2E. Rajalakshmi 1A. Sundaramanickam 31 Post-Graduate and Research Department of Zoology, Sir Theagaraya College, Chennai, India2 D. R. M. G. R. Educational and Research Institute (University), Chennai, India3 Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine SciencesAnnamalai University, Parangipettai, India* Corresponding authorsilambuplankton@hotmail.comSubmetido em 09/11/2016Aceito para publicação em 08/03/2017ResumoNovos registros do caranguejo raro Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Euryplacidae) ao longo da costa de Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Índia. Este estudo relata uma nova ocorrência do caranguejo Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Euryplacidae) ao longo da costa de Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Índia. Os caranguejos foram obtidos a uma profundidade de 40-60 m, através de captura acidental de arrasto. As características morfológicas, cor e distribuição destes caranguejos são dadas.Palavras-chave: Distribuição; Rede de arrastoAbstractThis study reports further occurrence of the crab Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Euryplacidae) along the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu, India. The crabs were obtained from a depth of 40-60 m in the trawl by-catch. The morphological features, color and distribution of these crabs are given.Key words: Distribution; Trawl-by catchIntroductionEarlier the Euryplacid crabs as a subfamily were included in the family Goneplacidae Mac Leay, 1838. Based on the extensive critical study of relevant literatures Števčić (2005), and examination of type specimens (CASTRO, 2007; CASTRO; NG, 2010), the family Euryplacidae Stimpson, 1871 was created to accommodate 14 genera, namely, Eucrate De Haan, 1835, Euryplax Stimpson, 1859, Frevillea A. Milne Edwards, 1880, Henicoplax Castro and Ng, 2010, Heteroplax Stimpson, 1858, Machaerus Leach, 1818, Nancyplax Lemaitre, Garcia-Gomez, von Sternberg and Campos, 2001, Platyozius Borradaile, 1902, Revista Biotemas, 30 (2), junho de 201752 K. Silambarasan et al.Psopheticoides, Sakai, 1969, Systroplax Castro and Ng, 2010, Guinot, 1984, Trissoplax Castro and Ng, 2010, Trizocarcinus Rathbun, 1914, Villoplax Castro and Ng, 2010 and Xenocrate Ng and Castro, 2007. According to Castro and Ng (2010), only eight species of the genus Eucrate have been accommodated, of which, Eucrate alcocki Serene in Serene and Lohavanijaya, 1973; Eucrate crenata (De Haan, 1835) and Eucrate indica Castro and Ng (2010) were reported from Indian waters. Based on the specimens collected from Chennai and Vellar estuary, southeast coast of India, Eucrate indica has described by Castro and Ng (2010), which had reported as Eucrate crenata var. dentata from Palk Bay by Alcock (1900) and Sankarankutty (1966) and from Gulf of Mannar by Sankarankutty (1966) and as Eucrate alcocki from Vellar estuary, Parangipettai by Rajkumar et al. (2009). The present report deals with the further collection of Eucrate indica from Chennai as well as from Ennore, 25 km north of Chennai.Materials and MethodsChennai coast which is lying at (13º06’N and 80º18’ E) and comprises more than 80 coastal villages. The coast extends from Pulicat Lake in the north to Kalpakkam in the south and stretches for about 140 km. The coastal ishing grounds lie in the depth range of 10 to 70 m at a distance of 15 to 80 km from the shoreline, extending between Ongole in South Andhra Pradesh and Nagapattinam to the south of Chennai. The two specimens were collected from Kasimedu ishing harbour (13º07’36”N, 80º17’52”E) and Ennore coast (80º25’E; 13º14’N) (Figure 1). Kasimedu ishing harbor is a protected area with placid waters.In this study, 2 mature female specimens were examined. The crabs were measured to the nearest 0.1 mm using vernier calipers. The collected material was identiied, measured, and preserved in 10% formalin and its taxonomy was conirmed up to species level using various keys (NG; DAVIE, 2002; RAJKUMAR et al., 2009; CASTRO; NG, 2010; KAZMI; MOAZZAM, 2012). Measurements provided (in millimeters) are of the Carapace length (CL) and Carapace width (CW), respectively. The specimen was deposited in the Department of Zoology, Sir Theagaraya College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.FIGURE 1:  Map of the sampling areas along the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu.	Revista Biotemas, 30 (2), junho de 201753Further records of rare brachyuran crab Eucrate indicaResults and DiscussionSYSTEMATICSOrder DECAPODAFamily EURYPLACIDAE Stimpson, 1871Genus Eucrate De Haan, 1835Eucrate indica Castro and Ng, 2010(Figure 2 and 3)Materials examinedZOMUSP 231, 16.IX.2013, 2 female, (Figure 2), trawl catch, Kasimedu ishing harbour (13º07’36”N, 80º17’52”E) and Ennore coast (80º25’E; 13º14’N) Coll. K. Silambarasan.Synonyms Eucrate alcocki Ng and Davie (2002, p. 378); Rajkumar et al. (2009, p. 832, Figure 1)(?) Eucrate crenata var. dentata – Alcock (1900, p. 299 [in key] & p. 301); Sankarankutty (1966, p. 350 [in list]).Eucrate indica Castro and Ng (2010, p. 32).FIGURE 2:  Dorsal view of Eucrate indica (Castro & Ng, 2010).	FIGURE 3:  Female thoracic sternum and abdomen of the Eucrate indica (Ventral view).	Revista Biotemas, 30 (2), junho de 201754 K. Silambarasan et al.The effective conservation and management of species depends on better understanding of all components of biodiversity. Hence, makes the timely reporting of expansion or shrinkage of species range important for conservation and management of the species (SILAMBARASAN et al., 2015). This contribution adds further records of Eucrate indica along the Chennai coast. This further record of species from Chennai coastal waters indicates the possible extension in the distribution range of species; it contributes to the species database and builds the biodiversity data base of the area as well.Diagnosis Anterolateral margin armed with two teeth, excluding the external orbital tooth; the second tooth acutely triangular; third anterolateral tooth large and sharp. The carapace is with relatively long postero-lateral borders. Fifth pereiopod propodus is slender; eight irregular, large, red-brown spots on median portion of the dorsal surface of carapace, each lanked by two smaller, vertically placed spots.MeasurementsThe Table 1 presents the measurements of Eucrate indica.TABLE 1:   Measurements of Eucrate indica (Castro & Ng, 2010).Carapace data Kasimedu (mm)Ennore (mm)Carapace widthCarapace lengthFrontal widthPosterior width of carapaceAbdominal widthAbdominal length2327842121721267381015Cheliped data (mm) (mm)Propodus lengthPropodus widthDactylus lengthMerus lengthNo of lateral spines1649170212361402Distribution India: Ennore (present report), Chennai (CASTRO; NG, 2010; present report), Vellar estuary (RAJKUMAR et al., 2009; CASTRO; NG, 2010), Palks Bay (ALCOCK, 1900; SANKARANKUTTY, 1966), Gulf of Mannar (SANKARANKUTTY, 1966).Elsewhere: Malaysia and Thailand (CASTRO; NG, 2010).RemarksThe specimens in our collection agree with original description and igure of E. indica given by Castro and Ng, (2010). The colour pattern also agrees with the observation by Rajkumar et al. (2009) and Castro and Ng, (2010).AcknowledgementsThe authors are grateful to Dr. M. Kathirvel, Former Principal Scientist, Central Institute of Brackish water Aquaculture (ICAR, Government of India), Chennai-600 028 for critical evaluation of manuscript and offering valuable suggestions and we also thankful to anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments to improve our manuscript. References ALCOCK, A. Materials for a carcinological fauna of India. No 6. The Brachyura Catometopa or Grapsoidea. Part II. Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta, v. 69, p. 279-486, 1900.CASTRO, P. A reappraisal of the family Goneplacidae MacLeay, 1838 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) and revision of the subfamily Goneplacinae, with the description of 10 new genera and 18 new species. Zoosystema, Paris, v. 29, n. 4, p. 609-774, 2007.CASTRO, P.; NG, P. K. L. Revision of the family Euryplacidae Stimpson, 1871 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Goneplacoidea). Zootaxa, Auckland, v. 2375, p. 1-130, 2010.KAZMI, Q. B.; MOAZZAM, M. Four new records of Brachyurans from Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, Lahore, v. 44, n. 6, p. 1499-1505, 2012. NG, P. K. L.; DAVIE, P. J. F. A check list of the brachyuran crabs of Phuket and western Thailand. Phuket Marine Biological Centre Special Publications, Phuket, v. 23, p. 369-384, 2002.RAJKUMAR, M.; KUMARAGURU VASAGAN, K. P.; LI, X.; SUN, J. First record of marine crab, Eucrate alcocki Serene, in Revista Biotemas, 30 (2), junho de 201755Further records of rare brachyuran crab Eucrate indicaSerene and Lohavanijaya, 1973 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Euryplacidae) from India. Chinese Journal of Oceanography and Limnology, Beijing, v. 27, p. 832-834, 2009.SANKARANKUTTY, C. On Decapoda Brachyura from the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. Proceedings Symposium Crustaceans Marine Biological Associations of India, Cochin, v. 1, p. 347-362, 1966.SILAMBARASAN, K.; SUNDARAMANICKAM, A.; SUJATHA, K.; SENTHILKUMAAR, P.; First record of buckler crab Cryptopodia angulata (Decapoda: Brachyura: Parthenopidae) from Chennai coast (Bay of Bengal), India. Journal of Asia-Paciic Biodiversity, Daejeon, v. 8, p. 102-104, 2015.ŠTEVČIĆ, Z. The reclassiication of brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura). Natural Croatica, Zagreb, v. 14, n. 1, p. 1-159, 2005.

Further records of rare brachyuran crab Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura Euryplacidae) along the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu, India

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Further records of rare brachyuran crab Eucrate indica (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura Euryplacidae) along the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu, India

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