Zuzalpheus goodei ( Coutière, 1909 ) Ríos, Rubén & Duffy, J. Emmett, 2007

Ríos, Rubén & Duffy, J. Emmett, 2007, A review of the sponge‑dwelling snapping shrimp from Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, with description of Zuzalpheus, new genus, and six new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Alpheidae), Zootaxa 1602 (1), pp. 1-89 : 33-34

Zuzalpheus goodei ( Coutière, 1909) n. comb.

( Plate 3 )

Synalpheus goodei Coutière, 1909: 58–61 , fig. 33; Dardeau 1984: 40–47, pro pars, fig. 18–21, nec S. osburni Schmitt 1933 ; Ríos 2003: 87–90, plate IV.

? Synalpheus goodei: Verrill, 1922: 116 , Plates 37–40.

Material examined. (1) 2 ♂ ( USNM 1019062 , VIMS 95CBC2605), 4.5 and 5.8 mm, Twin Cays , Belize, 26 June 1995, in Xestospongia wiedenmayeri van Soest 1980 , among mangrove roots, 1.5 m .

(2) 1 ovigerous ♀ ( VIMS 01 CBC3502), 4.7 mm, 1 ♂ ( VIMS 01 CBC3503), 4.1 mm, The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 30 April 2001, in Pachypellina podatypa , 2 m.

(3) 1 ovigerous ♀ ( VIMS 93 CBC1702), 4.6 mm, 1 ♂ ( VIMS 93 CBC1703), 5.1 mm, The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 19 March 1993, in Pachypellina podatypa , 2 m.

Diagnosis. Body subcylindrical; carapace smooth, sparsely setose, with pterygostomian corner produced into bluntly acute angle, and posterior margin with cardiac notch distinct. Rostrum lanceolate, narrower and longer than ocular hoods, with convex inferior margin prolonged posteriorly beyond anteriormost edge of carapace, and distally upturned. Ocular hoods dorsally convex; in dorsal view, bluntly acute, separated from rostrum by deep adrostral sinus. Ocular process broad. Ocellary beak in lateral view, thick. Stylocerite stout; mesial margin slightly concave; tip acute; reaching distal fifth of first segment of antennular peduncle; this latter segment without ventromesial tooth, and with 2 basal ventral processes. Basicerite with acute dorsal margin, and with longer ventrolateral spine reaching distal margin of second segment of antennular peduncle. Scaphocerite blade reduced, robust sharp lateral spine with lateral margin slightly concave, clearly overreaching antennular peduncle; mesial projection at base of scaphocerite present. Carpocerite overreaching scaphocerite. Third maxilliped with distal circlet of spines on distal segment and without ventrodistal spine on antepenultimate segment.

Major pereopod 1 massive, fingers slightly longer than half length of palm; fixed finger slightly shorter than dactyl; in ventral view, outer face of fixed finger without any protuberance. Palm of chela with distal superior margin produced into prominent tubercle and distal acute spine. Merus, extensor margin strongly convex, with distal flat angular projection.

Minor pereopod 1 with palm less than two times longer than high; fingers clearly shorter than palm; dactyl with flexor surface distally excavate, terminating in two strong distal teeth, subequal in length, and an accessory protuberance, all situated perpendicularly to dactyl axis; transverse dorsal setal combs on extensor surface of dactyl very conspicuous; fixed finger with flexor surface obliquely concave, and two subdistal accessory protuberances. Extensor margin of merus distally convex, ending in obtuse angle.

Pereopod 2 with carpus 5-segmented, about as long as merus.

Pereopod 3 stout; dactyl biunguiculate, with flexor tooth thicker than extensor; merus without movable spines on flexor margin; mesial lamella on coxa present.

Pleura 1 of male with posterior corner produced ventrally into shallow triangular hook; second pleura of male with posterior corner obtusely prolonged. Pleopod 1 of male, with about 8 terminal setae on endopod; second pleopod of male with marginal setae on exopod originating close to base; appendix interna on second to fifth male pleopods, present. Telson, space between distal spines about one-third of distal margin; marginal convex lobe inconspicuous; posterior corners adjacent to spines rectangular. Anal flaps, perianal setae, and postanal setal brush present. Uropods with 5 to 12, usually 7 or 8, fixed teeth on outer margin of exopod.

Color ( Plate 3 ). Translucent milky white with sparse pink chromatophores; distal portions of chelae with marginal highlights of greenish gold; tip of major chela, orange to brown; ripe ovaries, light gray to brown; digestive gland, olive green. This account does not match what Verrill (1922) recorded in great detail studying specimens from Bermuda. Because the identity of the material from Belize is supported by the examination of the syntypes (also from Bermuda), the specimens analyzed by Verrill may belong in a different species .

Variations. The dorsolateral corner on the basicerite ends usually in a sharp acute angle, but occasionally it is reduced to a right angle. The blade of the scaphocerite is always narrow and shorter than the adjacent spine, but it can reach the distal margin of any one of the three segments of the antennular peduncle or just half the length of the stylocerite. In some specimens the blade is reduced to a convex emargination, but even in such cases the presence of marginal setae remains constant. There seems to be a growth-related pattern to the degree of the development of the hook on the posterior corner on the first abdominal pleura; in some smaller males there is only a triangular ventrally directed flap. Also, the number of fixed teeth on the lateral margin of uropodal exopods is reduced in smaller specimens.

Hosts and ecology. We have found Z. goodei in Xestospongia wiedenmayeri growing on mangrove roots, and in Pachypellina podatypa ( de Laubenfels 1934) in shallow reef environments. It forms heterosexual pairs or groups of several individuals with roughly equal sex ratios.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Bermudas, Tampa Bay, Florida, USA ( Coutière 1909); Gulf of Mexico ( Coutière 1909; Dardeau 1984); Cuba (Martínez Iglesias and García Raso 1999); Dominica, Tobago ( Chace 1972); Belize Barrier Reef (this study).

Remarks. Zuzalpheus goodei is superficially similar to Z. williamsi , but they can be easily separated by the differences mentioned under the account for Z. williamsi . Dardeau (1984) synonymized Synalpheus osburni Schmitt, 1933 with this species. However, examination of the holotype (AMNH 3599) from Puerto Rico suggests that it should be considered a valid species within Zuzalpheus . Still the only known specimen, the holotype of Z. osburni ( Schmitt, 1933) has a remarkable feature, i. e., a spine on the distal border of the palm of the minor chela. Other differences with Z. goodei include the strikingly elongated rostrum, the total absence of a blade on the scaphocerite or any traces of setae on the mesial margin of the lateral spine, the protuberance overhanging the spine on the distal margin of the palm of the major chela, and the shape of the dactyl of the smaller chela. Discovery of additional specimens of Z. osburni , including males, will likely provide more characters to distinguish these two species.

Figures

PLATE 3. Zuzalpheus filidigitus, female (VIMS 01CBC0901) from Xestospongia cf. proxima, Curlew Reef, Belize. Zuzalpheus herricki, female (VIMS 05FK0602) from Hippospongia sp., Tavernier Key, Florida, USA. Zuzalpheus goodei, female (VIMS 03CBC3701) from Pachypellina podatypa, Sand Bores, Belize. Zuzalpheus goodei, male (VIMS 03CBC3702) from Pachypellina podatypa, Sand Bores, Belize. Zuzalpheus idios, female (VIMS 01CBC8001) from Hymeniacidon amphilecta, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize. Zuzalpheus kensleyi, female (VIMS 01CBC3802) from unidentified yellow sponge, Sand Bores, Belize.