Symbioses of decapod crustaceans along the coast of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Potential host species were searched for decapod crustaceans along the coasts of Espírito Santo State, Brazil. On five species of sea anemones checked, nine species of decapods were encountered. On three species of black coral checked, two decapod species were encountered. On six species of gorgonians checked, three species of decapods were encountered. In nine species of bivalves and one species of gastropod checked, one decapod species was encountered. On three sea urchin species checked, three decapod species were encountered. A further seven potential host species investigated did not have macroscopically visible symbiotic decapods. Four of these 18 symbiotic decapod species represent new records for the State of Espírito Santo, five species represent new records for Brazil, and at least one species (probably three) were new for science. The sea anemone Condylactis gigantea harboured the largest number of symbionts (eight species) and the shrimp Neopontonides sp. occurred on the largest number of hosts (four different species of gorgonians).