Scyllarides deceptor

Holthuis, 1963

Diagnosis:
The cervical incision is wide and not very distinct. The epistome shows no tubercles or teeth between the two inner teeth. Grooves on the carapace distinct. Tubercles of carapace and abdomen low, hairs inconspicuous. Pregastric and gastric teeth well-defined. Cervical incision in lateral margin distinct and carapace constricted there. Carpus of first pereiopod with a swollen hump in the upper basal part; a very shallow groove extends over this hump.
Abdominal somites without a broad elevated median ridge, but with an indication of a median longitudinal line. First abdominal somite without a median spot but with two very distinct and sharply defined lateral spots. Sternite of second abdominal somite in male serrate, with median incision usually deeper than the rest. Faint elevated median line visible on abdominal somites 2 to 5. Outline of the posterior margin of the pleura of the second abdominal somite concave in the middle through the presence of a strong tooth.

Type:
Type locality: "Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil" Holotype female in RMNH, no. D.15451.

Geographical Distribution:
Western Atlantic region: from southern Brazil (States of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Santa Catarina) south to northern Argentina (Buenos Aires Province), 23.5°-39°S.

Habitat and Biology:
Found in depth between 45 and 200 m. Little is known about the substrate on which the animals live, except for one record from a sandy bottom.

Size:
Total body length about 13 to 27 cm; carapace length 5 to 12 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
The species is occasionally caught in trawls, but it is not specially fished for and evidently is too rare to become of economic interest.

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