Armases elegans (Herklots 1851)

Sesarma (Chiromantes) elegans Herklots, 1851

Sesarma (Holometopus) elegans.—Dartevelle, 1950:48.—Capart, 1951:192, fig. 77.—Monod, 1956:442, fig. 601.—Rossignol, 1957:92, 122 [key]; 1962:120.

Sesarma elegans.—Longhurst, 1958:88.—Gauld, 1960:71.—Uschakov, 1970:448, 455 [listed].—Powell, 1979:127.

Sesarma.—Uschakov, 1970, fig. 4.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Pillsbury Material: None.

Other Material: Liberia: Farmington River at Snafu Docks, Nov 1946, H. A. Beatty, 1 (W).

Ghana: Butre, 1840–1855, H. S. Pel, 1 lectotype, 3 and 5 paralectotypes (L, lectotype Crust. D. 150, paralectotypes Crust. D. 151).

Nigeria: Harbor of Lagos, 13 Jun 1963, A. R. Longhurst, 1 (L). W of Forcados near confluence of Odimodi Creek and Forcados River, 05°22′N, 05°26′E, 28 Feb 1976, C. B. Powell, 1, 3 (L). Mayuku Creek near Ugbekoko, about 10 miles [16 km] W of Sapele, Midwest State, ca. 05°54′N, 05°34.5′E, in mangroves, 1–3 Nov 1975 and Jan 1976, C. B. Powell, 30 specimens (10 ov) (L). Niger delta between Brass and Port Harcourt, May–Aug 1960, H. J. G. Beets, 7 specimens (1 ov) (L). Creek between Eagle Island and College of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, 04°47.5′N, 06°58.5′E, on vertical poles of a fish fence and mangrove trunks, 30 Jan 1977, C. B. Powell, 18, 28 (8 ov), 3 juv (L).

Gabon: Owendo, 27 Aug 1961, F. Zielinski, 1 specimen (Zoologisches Museum, Hamburg).

Zaire: Banana, mouth of Congo River, July–Aug, 1915, H. Lang, American Museum Congo Expedition, 11, 11 (1 ov) (W).

DESCRIPTION.—Rathbun, 1921:453; Capart, 1951:192.

Figures: Rathbun, 1921, pl. 44, pl. 45: fig. 2; Capart, 1951, fig. 77; Monod, 1956, fig. 601.

Color: Rathbun (1921:453) and Rossignol (1957:92) both gave color descriptions for this species.

BIOLOGY.—Rathbun (1921:453, 454) gave an extensive description of habits and habitat of the species. Monod (1956) mentioned it from pilings in the estuarine area. Dartevelle (1950) found it “dans les criques à salinité moins élevée.” The specimens from Nigeria dealt with here were found in the estuarine and mangrove area. C. B. Powell (in litt.) stated that the specimens from Mayuku Creek were observed at night on the mangrove prop roots above the water, and near Forcados the specimens were taken “from piles of a jetty and from small branches of shrubs overhanging the water. They appeared to be naturally arboreal, and dropped into the water only as a last resort”

Ovigerous females have been reported taken in the following months: January (present material), February (Capart, 1951), March–April (Rossignol, 1957), May–August (present material), July–August (Rathbun, 1921, present material), November (present material).

DISTRIBUTION.—The species is known only from West Africa (Guinea to Angola). To the localities listed by Monod (1956) the following can be added.

Guinea: Île Marara, Rio Pongo (Uschakov, 1970).

Sierra Leone: Kissy (Longhurst, 1958).

Ghana: Near Butre (Gauld, 1960).

Nigeria: Elechi Creek, Port Harcourt, 04°47′15″N, 06° 48′45″E (Powell, 1979).

Congo: Loya River and Djeno (Rossignol, 1957, 1962). Pointe-Noire (Rossignol, 1962).

Zaire: Banana, mouth of the Congo River (Dartevelle, 1950).

Angola: Santo António do Zaire (as Saint-Antoine) (Dartevelle, 1950).