First record of Pallenopsis fluminensis (Krøyer, 1844) (Pycnogonida: Pallenopsidae) for the coast of the state of Paraíba (northeastern Brazil)

A pycnogonid species classified in the family Pallenopsidae Fry, 1978 and the genus Pallenopsis Wilson, 1881 is recorded in this study for the coast of the state of Paraíba in northeastern Brazil based on the identification of three female specimens collected from the infralittoral zone at depths of 12 to 34 meters. Pallenopsis fluminensis (Krøyer, 1844) is the fourth species of Pycnogonida recorded for the region. To date, only Anoplodactylus batangensis (Helfer, 1938), A. eroticus Stock, 1968 and A. mirim Lucena, Araújo & Christoffersen, 2015 have been recorded for the coast of the state of Paraíba. Pallenopsis fluminensis is diagnosed by a trunk with small setae on the distal border of each segment; proboscis with terminal setae; lateral processes with small setae; palps without setae and reduced to a small knob; chela with many setae, palm 1.5 times longer than wide; ovigers with eight articles on females, articles 5 and 6 subequal and article 8 not much smaller than 7; and tibia 1 without dense cover of the setae. To date, P. fluminensis is the only congener from the Atlantic coast of South America without a dense cover of setae on tibia 1.