A new species of Troglocarcinus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Cryptochiridae) symbiotic with the Brazilian endemic coral Mussismilia (Anthozoa: Scleractinia: Mussidae).

Three species of cryptochirid crabs, obligatory symbionts of scleractinian corals, have so far been recorded from Brazil:Troglocarcinus corallicola,Opecarcinus hypostegusandKroppcarcinus siderastreicola. All three genera are monospecific. Individuals belonging to an undescribed species ofTroglocarcinus, here described asT. hirsutussp. nov., were found associated with colonies ofMussismiliafrom Bahia State, northeastern region of Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congener mainly by a carapace with several large spines delimiting the protogastric and mesogastric regions, sternite of first pereopod with setae and third pleopod of female being uniramous or biramous. An emendation to the diagnosis of the monospecificTroglocarcinusis proposed. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0FA03021-69A6-4F93-AA0A-6451BC6D2DE4 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]