NEW RECORD OF THE SWIMMING CRAB Portunus sayi (GIBBES, 1850) (DECAPODA: PORTUNIDAE) FROM THE AMAZON CONTINENTAL SHELF

The Amazon continental shelf (ACS) is considered to be Brazil's largest fishing ground, widely exploited by industrial fishing fleets. As a result, a high number of marine species are collected as bycatch fauna and subsequently discarded due to their lack of commercial value. In this scenario, one of the main bycatch groups is crustaceans, which are directly impacted by these actions, however, their diversity is poorly known in the northern region of Brazil. Therefore, herein, we report the northernmost observation of the swimming crab Portunus sayi (Gibbes, 1850) from Brazilian waters, associated with the Great Amazon Reef System (GARS). Additionally, we provide the description of the first gonopod (G1), carapace margin detail and original color. Three individuals of P. sayi (1 male and 2 females) were collected as bycatch of the southern red snapper fishery Lutjanus purpureus (Poey, 1866) using a fish trap called “manzuá”, performed in areas above the GARS, at depths up to 70 m, in the continental shelf of the state of Amapá. The record of this species for northern Brazil increases the biodiversity of crustaceans in the region and indicates the ecological importance of the GARS as a diversity hotspot on the Amazon continental shelf area.