Synalpheus pectiniger Coutière

Iii, Kenneth S Macdonald, Hultgren, Kristin & Duffy, Emmett, 2009, The sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps (Crustacea, Decapoda, Alpheidae, Synalpheus) of Discovery Bay, Jamaica, with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 2199, pp. 1-57 : 33-35

Synalpheus pectiniger Coutière

Specimens examined. Jamaica: non-ovigerous individual, (VIMS 08JAM8801), Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, from canals of Spheciospongia vesparium . MaxCL non-ovigerous individual: 4.17 mm.

Color. Translucent; distal portion of major chela brownish.

Hosts and ecology. This single specimen of Synalpheus pectiniger was found in S. vesparium , in which it seems to be a strict host specialist throughout its range.

Distribution. Florida, USA ( Coutière 1909; Duffy 1993); Bahamas ( Coutière 1909; Lemaitre 1984); Cuba ( Martínez Iglesias and García Raso 1999); Virgin Islands ( Coutière 1909; Chace 1972); Gulf of Mexico ( Coutière 1909; Wass 1955; Tabb and Manning 1961; Rouse 1970; Lyons et al. 1971; Menzel 1971; Dardeau 1984; Erdmann and Blake 1987); Yucatan Mexico ( Chace 1972); Belize (Macdonald et al. 2006; Ríos and Duffy 2007); Caribbean Panama ( Duffy 1992); Windward Island ( Chace 1972); Netherlands Antilles ( Coutíere1909; Westinga and Hoetjes 1981); Discovery Bay, Jamaica (this study).

Remarks. This species is readily identifiable due to its distinctive tridentate minor chela dactyl and extremely short major chela fixed finger.

PLATE 4. A, Synalpheus mcclendoni ovigerous female (08JAM6101) from Agelas cf. clathrodes, Columbus Park, Discovery Bay , Jamaica. B, Synalpheus mcclendoni non-ovigerous individual (08JAM8201) from Agelas cf. clathrodes, Rio Bueno , Jamaica. C, Synalpheus pandionis ovigerous female (08JAM6901) from Lissodendoryx sp., Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, Jamaica. D, Synalpheus pandionis ovigerous female (08JAM6903) from Lissodendoryx sp., Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, Jamaica.

PLATE 5. A, Synalpheus pandionis non-ovigerous individual (08JAM6908) from Lissodendoryx sp., Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, Jamaica. B, Synalpheus regalis ovigerous female (08JAM3303) from Hyattella intestinalis , fore-reef (near M1 channel marker), Discovery Bay, Jamaica. C, Synalpheus thele ovigerous female (08JAM6108) from Agelas cf. clathrodes, Columbus Park, Discovery Bay , Jamaica. D, Synalpheus thele non-ovigerous individual (08JAM6121) from Agelas cf. clathrodes, Columbus Park, Discovery Bay , Jamaica.