PAGURISTES-SYRTENSIS DE-SAINT-LAURENT, 1971 (DECAPODA, DIOGENIDAE) FROM THE COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTH WESTERN SICILY, MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Paguristes syrtensis de Saint Laurent, 1971 was rediscovered in a shal low-water Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile bed along the coast of SW Sicily. The colour pattern, which allows for easy distinction from the closely related Paguristes eremita (Linnaeus, 1767), remained in p art after 15 months of fixation in 5% formalin and subsequently 10 mon ths of preservation in 70% ethanol. Some morphological characters pres ent in chelipeds, second pereiopods and first pleopods are reliable in distinguishing between the two species, whereas others present in ant ennal acicle, rostrum, and telson, cited by some authors as distinctiv e features were found to overlap in specimens of the two species from SW Sicily. The specimens examined were found in the 'under-layer' of a P. oceanica bed, but de Saint Laurent (1971) reported four specimens collected at a depth of 250 m. Thus, this species, though probably rar e, seems to occupy a wide range of habitats.