Decapod Crustaceans

Abstract

The decapod crustacans obtained during the Key Largo Coral Reef Marine Sanctuary Deep Water Resource Survey are listed, and a brief consideration of their ecology and zoogeography in this deep water area is given. A total of 53 individuals of decapod crustaceans were obtained during the sampling program, distributed in 11 families, 19 genera and 23 species. Of these, 4 were new species in the sections Caridea, Thalassinidea, and Stenopodidea, all of which contain coral-associated shrimp. At least 2 other taxa, a processid shrimp and a pagurid hermit crab, may eventually prove to be new species when additional material becomes available.