Checklist of brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda) from the Cape Verde Islands, with a biogeographic comparison with the Canary Islands (Eastern Atlantic)

Abstract

In the current scenario of defaunation and bioinvasion, increasing the knowledge about the composition in marine species and monitoring are an emergency need to control the biodiversity. Nearly 35 years have passed since Türkay (1982) published the decapod crustaceans of the Cape Verde islands. No checklists of decapod fauna specifically covering this area have been published since then, and an update is needed. The current list of Cape Verdean brachyuran crabs comprises 125 species, grouped in 83 genera and 40 accepted families. Additional species have been mainly recorded thanks to intensified research into deep water and description of new taxa. Anamathia rissoana and Macropipus rugosus are recorded for the first time and the occurrence/absence of some species confirmed in the area. This work summarizes all recent changes in Cape Verdean brachyurans and makes biogeographic remarks, with a comparison with the Canary Islands brachyurans. It presents a literature review and overview about the species previously recorded in the area. It still aims to be a tool to support further monitoring to identify the absence or appearance of invasive species.