Alpheus californiensis Holmes, 1900

Wicksten, Mary K., 2012, Decapod Crustacea of the Californian and Oregonian Zoogeographic Provinces 3371, Zootaxa 3371, pp. 1-307 : 60

Alpheus californiensis Holmes, 1900

( Fig. 14B–D)

Alpheus californiensis Holmes, 1900: 186 , pl. 2, fig. 42, pl. 3, figs. 43–44. — Rathbun 1904: 108. — Word & Charwat 1976: 43. — Wicksten 1984a: 188. — Chace & Abbott 1980: 569. — Ricketts et al. 1985: 189, 348.— Kim & Abele 1988: 70, fig. 29.

Crangon californiensis . — Schmitt 1921: 76, fig. 52.— MacGinitie & MacGinitie 1968: 276, figs. 126–127.

Diagnosis. Rostrum sharply triangular, carinate posteriorly, reaching to middle of visible part of first segment of antennular peduncle. Ocular hoods slightly inflated, without teeth. Second segment of antennular peduncle the longest, stylocerite scarcely reaching distal margin of first segment. Scaphocerite with distal tooth overreaching distal end of antennular peduncle, blade not reaching to distal end of antennular peduncle. Basicerite with small lateral tooth. Major chela of pereopod 1 with fingers closing vertically, acutely rounded at apex. Palm with superior transverse grooves on each faces, shallow inferior depressions, grooves; superior surface bearing shallow notch, inferior margin produced into shoulder. Merus of major pereopod bearing small tooth at distal end. Minor chela of pereopod 1 sexually dimorphic, in male bearing fringes of setae on both fingers; in female, setose, but without such fringes. Finger with acute apex, palm bearing grooves, notches similar to major chela, but more shallow. Pereopod 2 with 5 carpal articles, article 1 longest. Pereopod 3 slender, with simple dactyl, propodus with 7 movable spines, merus without tooth or spines, ischium with movable spine or slender spinule. Pereopods 4,5 similar to pereopod 3, but more slender. Telson with 2 pairs dorsal spines, posterior margin convex, armed with pair spines at each lateral margin. Total length 39 mm.

Color in life. Not reported, but black-and-white photograph by MacGinitie & MacGinitie (1968 fig. 127) shows animal to be mostly dark.

Habitat and depth. Shallow rocky areas, burrows in mud of bays, mostly intertidal.

Range. San Pedro, California to Magdalena Bay, Baja California. Type locality San Pedro, California. I examined specimens from Newport and San Diego bays. There have been no reports of the species from San Pedro since its original description.

Remarks. Alpheus californiensis often lives in pairs in burrows. The shrimp builds complex systems of burrows in subtidal mud in San Diego Bay.