Leptalpheus felderi Anker, Vera Caripe & Lira, 2006

Anker, Arthur, 2011, Six new species and three new records of infaunal alpheid shrimps from the genera Leptalpheus Williams, 1965 and Fenneralpheus Felder & Manning, 1986 (Crustacea, Decapoda), Zootaxa 3041, pp. 1-38 : 8-9

Leptalpheus felderi Anker, Vera Caripe & Lira, 2006

Fig. 4

Leptalpheus felderi Anker, Vera Caripe & Lira 2006: 688 , figs. 1–5, 6A, B.

Material examined. 1 male (cl 4.1 mm), RMNH D54559 , Panama, Caribbean coast, Bocas del Toro, Isla Bastimentos, near main village, seagrass flat near mangrove stands, muddy sand, yabby pump, 0.5–1m, leg. T. Page, L. Simon-Torati, A. Anker, S. De Grave, 11.08.2008 [fcn 08-213A]; 1 ov. female (cl 3.9 mm), OUMNH.ZC. 2008-14 - 0 121, same collection data [fcn 08-213B].

Description. See Anker et al. (2006).

Size. The two specimens from Bocas del Toro are, with cl 4.0 mm and 4.2 mm cl, slightly smaller than the type specimens from Venezuela, at cl 5.2 –7.6 mm.

Colour in life. Semitransparent with reddish chromatophores arranged in very broad dorsal longitudinal band and two narrower lateral longitudinal bands; antennular and antennal peduncles and tail fan abundantly covered with red chromatophores; chelipeds hyaline white; walking legs semitransparent; eggs bright pale green ( Fig. 4 ; see also colour photographs in Anker et al. 2006).

Type locality. Venezuela, Isla Margarita.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Venezuela, Colombia (Anker et al. 2006), Panama (present study).

Ecology. The Bocas del Toro specimens were collected from a burrow of Upogebia sp. on a muddy seagrass flat. The host was heavily damaged during the collection process, making a more precise identification impossible. The Venezuelan specimens were associated with burrows of Upogebia omissa Gomes Corrêa, 1968 (Anker et al. 2006) .

Remarks. The Panamanian specimens agree well with the type specimens from Venezuela, although they are somewhat smaller. They do not have a caudal appendix on the uropodal endopod, as in one of the paratypes from Venezuela (see Anker et al. 2006, fig. 5C). This species seems to be exclusively associated with species of Upogebia .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Leptalpheus felderi Anker, Vera Caripe & Lira, 2006: A, ovigerous female from Bocas del Toro, Caribbean coast of Panama (OUMNH. ZC. 2008 - 14 - 0121), lateral view; B, male from the same locality (RMNH D 54559), dorsolateral view.