Deep protected habitats in the Gulf of Cádiz reveal an overlooked Iberian distribution of Pagurus chevreuxi (Bouvier, 1896) (Decapoda, Paguridae)

We report Pagurus chevreuxi (Bouvier, 1896) for the first time from Spanish waters of the Gulf of Cádiz, filling a gap in this species’ documented distribution along the Iberian Atlantic margin. The specimen was collected at 418 m depth on Gazul mud volcano during the CIRCASUR2025 survey and identified using diagnostic morphological characters and mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequence data. This find represents the deepest confirmed record of the species, which was previously regarded as predominantly inhabiting shallow water. The new record also provides new evidence that the geographic and bathymetric distribution of P. chevreuxi may be broader and more continuous than currently documented across its known range.