First record of the rare crab Asthenognathus atlanticus Monod, 1933 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Varunidae) in the North Sea

Faasse, Marco; Gheerardyn, Hendrik; Witbaard, Rob; Cuperus, Joël

doi:10.2478/oandhs-2021-0030

Abstract

Several species new to the area were collected while monitoring Dutch marine waters using a dredge. The varunid crab Asthenognathus atlanticus Monod, 1933 was recorded for the first time in the North Sea. Until 2008, this relatively rare crab was known from the west coast of Africa and the western Mediterranean to northern Brittany in the north. In recent years, its distribution range has expanded, as indicated by records from the Bay of the Seine and the area around Dieppe-Le Tréport. Our finding from Brown Bank (southern North Sea) indicates a further, northward expansion of its distribution range. We list the hosts with which the crab is associated. Earlier arguments for climate change as an explanation for the northward range expansion are supported.

References

Asakura, A. & Watanabe, S. (2005). Hemigrapsus takanoi, new species, a sibling species of the common Japanese intertidal crab H. penicillatus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Grapsoidea). Journal of Crustacean Biology 25(2): 279–292.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bocquet, C. (1963). Remarques morphologiques et systématiques sur le crabe Tritodynamia atlantica (Th. Monod) (= Asthenognathus atlanticus Th. Monod), présent dans la région de Roscoff. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 4(1): 65–79.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bos, O.G., Gittenberger, A., de Boois, I., van Asch, M., van der Wal et al. (2016). Soortenlijst Nederlandse Noordzee. Den Helder: Wageningen Marine Research (rapport C125/16). DOI: 10.18174/401117.
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Breton G., Faasse M.A., Noël, P.Y. & Vincent, Th. (2002). A new alien crab in Europe: Hemigrapsus sanguineus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Grapsidae). Journal of Crustacean Biology 22(1): 184–189.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
De Haan, W. (1833–1850). Crustacea. In P. F. von Siebold (Ed.), Fauna Japonica sive descriptio animalium, quae in itinere per Japoniam, jussu et auspiciis superiorum, qui summum in India Batava Imperium tenent, suspecto, annis 1823–1830. Collegit, notis, observationibus et adumbrationibus illustravit i–xxxi, ix–xvi, 1–243, pl. A–J, L–Q, 1–55. Lugduni-Batavorum.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dye, S.R., Hughes, S.L., Tinker, J., Berry, D.I., Holliday, N.P. et al. (2013). Impacts of climate change on temperature (air and sea). MCCIP Science Review 2013: 1–12. DOI: 10.14465/2013.arc01.001-012.
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
García, S., Álvarez, H., Perry, A.L., Blanco, J., Maaholm, D.J. et al. (2019). Protecting the North Sea: Brown Bank. Madrid: Oceana.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Glémarec, M. & Hily, C. (1979). Nouvelles données sur la répartition de Tritodynamea atlantica Balls, 1922. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 20: 499–505.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Gmelin J.F. (1791). Vermes. In J.F. Gmelin (Ed.) Caroli a Linnaei Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae (pp. 3021–3910). Ed. 13. Tome 1(6). G.E. Beer, Lipsiae [Leipzig].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Gosse P.H. (1859). Characters and descriptions of some new British sea-anemones. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 3(3): 46–50.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hughes, S.L, Tinker, J., Dye, S. with Andres, O., Berry, D.I. et al. (2017). Temperature. MCCIP Science Review 2017: 22–41. DOI: 10.14465/2017.arc10.003-tem.
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jourde, J., Alizier, S., Dancie, C., Dauvin, J., Desroy, N. et al. (2012). First and repeated records of the tropical-temperate crab Asthenognathus atlanticus Monod, 1932 (Decapoda: Brachyura) in the eastern part of the Bay of Seine (eastern English Channel, France). Cahiers de Biologie Marine 53(4): 525–532.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Leach, W.E. (1816). A tabular view of the external characters of four classes of animals, which Linné arranged under Insecta, with the distribution of the genera comprising three of these classes into orders &c. and descriptions of several new genera and species. The Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 11(2): 306–400.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lewis, W. & Gittenberger, A. (2013). First record of a settled stomatopod Platysquilla eusebia in the North Sea (Malacostraca: Stomatopoda). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen, Leiden 41: 31–34.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lindeboom, H.J., Geurts van Kessel, J. & Berkenbosch L. (2005). Gebieden met bijzondere ecologische waarden op het Nederlands Continentaal Plat. Rapport RIKZ/2005.008. Alterra Report nr. 1109.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata [10th revised edition], 1: 824 pp. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Linnaeus, C. (1767). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae: secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Ed. 12. 1., Regnum Animale. 1 & 2. Holmiae [Stockholm], Laurentii Salvii, pp. 1–532 [1766] pp. 533–1327 [1767].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
MacKenzie, B.R. & Schiedeck, D. (2007). Long-term sea surface temperature baselines—time series, spatial covariation and implications for biological processes. Journal of Marine Systems 68: 405–420.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Milne Edwards, H. (1863). Notes sur quelques crustacés nouveaux ou peu connus. Archives du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle 7: 145–188.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Monod, T. (1933). Brachyura Maroccana. I. – Pinnotheridae, avec la description d’Astenognathus atlanticus nov. sp. Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles du Maroc XII(4–6): 142–155.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Montagu, G. (1808). Description of several marine animals found on the south coast of Devonshire. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 9: 81–114, pl. 2–8.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Naruse, T. & Clark, P.F. (2009). Establishment of a new genus for Asthenognathus gallardoi Serène & Soh, 1976 within Gaeticinae Davie & N.K. Ng, 2007 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Varunidae). Zootaxa 1987: 61–68.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ng, N.K. (2006). The systematics of the crabs of the family Varunidae (Brachyura, Decapoda). Unpublished doctoral dissertation, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ng, P.K.L., Guinot, D. & Davie, P.J.F. (2008). Systema brachyurorum: Part I: An annotated checklist of extant brachyuran crabs of the world. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 17: 1–286.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Noël, P.Y., Tardy, E. & d’Udekem d’Acoz, C. (1997). Will the crab Hemigrapsus penicillatus invade the coasts of Europe? Comptes Rendus de l Académie des Sciences - Series III – Sciences de la Vie 320(9): 741–745.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pallas, P.S. (1766) Miscellanea zoologica. Quibus novae imprimis atque obscurae animalium species describuntur et observationibus iconibusque illustrantur. Petrum van Cleef. Hagí Comitum, xii + 224 pp., 14 pls.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pennant, T. (1777). British Zoology, IV. Crustacea. Mollusca. Testacea. London, i–viii, 1–154, Plates 1–93.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Petagna, V. (1792). Institutiones entomologicae. Neapoli, typis Cajetani Raymundi.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pezy, J.-P. & Dauvin, J.-C. (2016). Extension of the geographical distribution of the crab Asthenognathus atlanticus Monod, 1932, in the eastern English Channel through its commensal relationship with the polychaete Chaetopterus variopedatus (Renier, 1804). Marine Biodiversity 48: 987–993. DOI: 10.1007/s12526-016-0619-6.
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rathbun, M.J. (1909). New crabs from the Gulf of Siam. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 22: 107–114.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Renier, S.A. (1804). [Rejected publication. See ICZN 316] Prospetto della classe dei vermi, nominati el ordinati secondo il sistemo de Bosc. [Page proofs of introductory book text in folio sheets, never published] xv–xxvi [Padua, Italy].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Risso, A. (1816). Histoire naturelle des crustacés des environs de Nice. Librairie Grecque-Latine-Allemande, Paris, 175 pp., 3 plates.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Risso, A. (1826–1827). Histoire naturelle des principales productions de l’Europe Méridionale et particulièrement de celles des environs de Nice et des Alpes Maritimes. Paris, F.G. Levrault. 3(XVI): 1–480, 14 pls.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sars, M. (1835). Beskrivelser og Iagttagelser over nogle moerkelige eller nye i havet ved den Bergenske kyst levende dyr af Polypernes, Acalephernes, Radiaternes, Annelidernes og Molluskernes classer, med en kort oversigt over de hidtil af forfatteren sammesteds fundne arter og deres forekommen. Thorstein Hallagers Forlag hos Chr. Dahl, R.S., xii + 81 pp., 15 pls., Bergen.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schnakenbeck, W. (1924). Ueber das Auftreten chinesischer Krabben in der Unterelbe. Schriften für Süßwasser- und Meereskunde 5.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Stimpson, W. (1858). Prodromus descriptionis animalium evertebratorum, quae in expeditione ad Oceanum Pacificum Septentrionalem, a Republica Federata missa, Cadwaladaro Ringgold et Johanne Rodgers Ducibus, observavit et descripsit. Pars V. Crustacea Ocypodoidea. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 10: 93–110.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
d’Udekem d’Acoz, C. & Faasse, M.A. (2002). De huidige status van Hemigrapsus sanguineus (de Haan, 1835) en H. penicillatus (de Haan, 1835) in de noordelijke Atlantische Oceaan, in het bijzonder in Nederland, met opmerkingen over hun biologie (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura). Het Zeepaard 62: 101–115.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Udekem d’Acoz, C. d’ & Rappé, G. (1991). Présence et abondance de Liocarcinus vernalis (Risso, 1816) dans la baie sud de la Mer du Nord (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae). Crustaceana 61(1): 95–99.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
van der Reijden, K.J., Koop, L., O’Flynn, S., García, S., Bos, O. et al. (2019). Discovery of Sabellaria spinulosa reefs in an intensively fished area of the Dutch Continental Shelf, North Sea. Journal of Sea Research 144: 85–94.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wijnhoven, S. & Bos, O. (2017). Benthische Indicator Soorten Index (BISI): Ontwikkelingsproces en beschrijving van de Nationale Benthos Indicator Noordzee inclusief protocol van toepassing. Heinkenszand: Ecoauthor (Report Series 2017–02).
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Witbaard, R., Lavaleye, M., Duineveld, G.C.A. & Bergman, M.J.N. (2013). Atlas of the megabenthos (incl. small fish) on the Dutch continental shelf of the North Sea. Texel: NIOZ (NIOZ-rapport 2013(4)).
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

First record of the rare crab Asthenognathus atlanticus Monod, 1933 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Varunidae) in the North Sea

Abstract

Paradigm

My account