Zuzalpheus kensleyi, Rios & Duffy, 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 : 41-47

Zuzalpheus kensleyi , n. sp.

( Figs. 18–22 , Plate 3 )

Synalpheus sp. 4 , new species Ríos 2003:104, figures 2–17 through 2–21, plate III.

Synalpheus “intermediate”: Morrison et al. 2004. Macdonald et al. 2006

Material examined. ( 1) Holotype ♂ ( USNM 1019050 , VIMS 93CBC1503), 6.0 mm, allotype ovigerous ♀ ( USNM 1019051 , VIMS 93CBC1502), 6.1 mm, The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 19 March 1993, in cryptic yellow tube sponge growing among dead coral rubble, 2 m.

(2) Paratype ovigerous ♀ ( USNM 1019052 , VIMS 93CBC6303), 5.0 mm, The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize 31 March 1993, in cryptic yellow tube sponge growing among dead coral rubble, 2 m.

(3) 1 ovigerous ♀ ( VIMS 01 CBC3802), 4.1 mm, 1 ♂ ( VIMS 01 CBC3803), 4.0 mm, The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 30 April 2001, in cryptic yellow tube sponge growing among dead coral rubble, 2 m.

(4) 1 ♂ ( VIMS 02 CBC0201), 3.2 mm, The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize 20 June 2002, no host found, 2 m .

(5) 1 ♂ ( VIMS 04 CBC3201), The Pinnacles (Sand Bores), SW of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize 14 March 2004, in Hyattella intestinalis , 2 m .

(6) 1 ovigerous ♀ ( VIMS 03 P2001), 1 ♂ ( VIMS 03 P2002), Isla San Cristobal, Bocas del Toro region, Panama 5 August 2003, in Hymeniacidon caerulea , 1 m.

Description of holotype. Body subcylindrical. Carapace smooth, with sparse short simple setae. Rostrum distinctly narrower and slightly longer than ocular hoods; without reaching distal margin of first segment of antennular peduncle; distally upturned; orbitorostral process absent. Pterygostomian corner produced into bluntly acute angle. Posterior margin with distinct cardiac notch. First segment of antennular peduncle without ventromesial tooth. Antenna with 2 basal ventral processes. Basicerite dorsal margin with acute spine, lateral spine barely reaching middle of scaphocerite; latter not reaching distal margin of carpocerite, without blade, with mesial projection at base. Maxilliped 3 without ventrodistal spine on antepenultimate segment; remaining mouthparts as figured.

Major pereopod 1 massive, dactyl slightly overreaching fixed finger; distal superior margin of palm produced into prominent tubercule with descending spine on tip; extensor margin of merus with flat angular projection.

Minor pereopod 1 palm longer than fingers; dactyl with flexor surface excavate, with three teeth, subequal in length, perpendicular to dactyl axis; 12 transverse setal combs on extensor surface; fixed finger with flexor surface obliquely concave, distal tooth and subdistal accessory bump; extensor margin of merus with angular projection.

Pereopod 2 more slender than the others, with carpus 5-segmented, longer than merus.

Pereopod 3 dactyl biunguiculate, with proximal tooth clearly stouter than distal one; propodus with 8 mobile marginal spines evenly distributed and paired mobile spines flanking base of dactyl; carpus with single distoventral mobile spine; merus without movable spines on flexor margin; mesial lamella on coxa present.

Pereopod 4 very similar to 3rd, but slightly weaker. Pereopod 5 weaker than 4th, propodus with marginal spines irregularly arranged, and with 6 combs of setae transversely arranged on distal half.

Pleura 1 of male weakly produced on posterior corner; pleura 2–5 of male obtuse; first pleopod endopod with many terminal setae; origin of marginal setae on pleopod 2 exopod close to base. All pleura of female broadly rounded; appendix interna present on endopod of second to fifth pleopods in both sexes. Telson stout, subtrapezoidal, middle space between posterior marginal spines greater than one-third width of posterior margin; marginal convex lobe present; posterior corners adjacent to spines obtuse. Uropods with 2 fixed teeth on outer margin of exopod anterior to mobile spine, latter clearly longer than adjacent mesial fixed tooth.

tal portion. Scale bar = 2 mm for a, c, e, and 0.39 mm for b, d, f.

Color ( Plate 3 ). Translucent to dull gold with few sparse chromatophores, distal portion of major chela brown. Ovaries and developing embryos pale green.

Etymology. We are honored to name this species after the late Dr. Brian Kensley, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, in appreciation of his many contributions to crustacean taxonomy and his support for our research at Carrie Bow Cay.

Variations. A single slight variation, unrelated to sex or size, was recorded from the scaphocerite. Among the six specimens available (3.2–6.1 mm), three have a slight basal emargination, but only two have setae on that emargination, the remaining three show no traces of a blade or emargination. The supernumerary tooth adjacent to the mobile spine on the right uropodal exopod of the holotype is probably a minor abnormality, as none of the remaining specimens possess this character.

Hosts and ecology. In Belize all but one of our specimens were found in an unidentified yellow tube sponge growing anastomosed among coral rubble on shallow patch reefs. A single specimen was found in Hyattella intestinalis in the same habitat. In cursory collections from the Bocas del Toro region of Caribbean Panama, we found a few specimens in Hymeniacidon caerulea growing among shallow coral rubble.

Distribution. Belize Barrier Reef (this study); Bocas del Toro region, Panama (J.E. Duffy, unpublished)

Remarks. Dissection of an embryo from the allotype suggests that the first stage is a megalopa, due to the presence of fully developed biramous pleopods and rudimentary first and second pereopods with recognizable chelae. Zuzalpheus kensleyi , n. sp., resembles Z. goodei , Z. williamsi and Z. paraneptunus , but they can be easily separated by several characters. In contrast to Z. kensleyi , n. sp., Z. paraneptunus has a very reduced array of setal combs on the extensor surface of the dactyl of the minor first chela, stronger apical teeth and excavate fingers on that chela, and lacks the acute spine on the dorsal margin of the basicerite. Both Z. goodei and Z. williamsi have more teeth on the outer margin of the uropodal exopod, and the first pleura of the males is strongly produced into an acute hook-like projection.

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.

FIGURE 18. Zuzalpheus kensleyi, n. sp. Holotype male 6.0 mm (USNM 1019050): a, anterior region of carapace and cephalic appendages, dorsal view; b, same, lateral view; c, telson and uropods, dorsal view; d, dactyl of major first pereopod, dorsal view; e, fixed finger of major first pereopod, ventral view; f, distal part of merus of major first pereopod, lateral view; g, distal part of merus of minor first pereopod, lateral view. Allotype ovigerous female 6.1 mm (USNM 1019051): h, right scaphocerite, dorsal view. Scale bar = 1.5 mm for a, b, c, g, h; and 2 mm for d, e, f.

FIGURE 19. Zuzalpheus kensleyi, n. sp. Allotype ovigerous female 6.1 mm (USNM 1019051): a, abdomen with one egg, lateral view. Paratype female 5.0 mm (USNM 1019052): b, right first pleopod. Holotype male 6.0 mm (USNM 1019050): c, abdomen, lateral view; d, right first pleopod; e, same, detail of endopod. Scale bar = 2 mm for a, c; 1 mm for b, d; and 0.44 mm for e.

FIGURE 20. Zuzalpheus kensleyi, n. sp. Holotype male 6.0 mm (USNM 1019050): a, major first pereopod in lateral view; b, same, anterior portion of external face, lateral view; c, minor first pereopod lateral view; d, same, tip of fingers, lateral view; g, right second pleopod. Paratype female 5.0 mm (USNM 1019052): e, distal portion of minor first pereopod, lateroventral view; f, second pereopod, lateral view; h, right second pleopod. Scale bar = 2 mm for a, b, c, f; and 1 mm for d, 1.4 mm for d, e, g, h.

FIGURE 21. Zuzalpheus kensleyi, n. sp. Paratype female 5.0 mm (USNM 1019052): a, third pereopod, lateral view; b, same, detail of distal portion; c, fourth pereopod, lateral view; d, same, detail of distal portion; e, fifth pereopod, lateral view; f, same, detail of dis-

FIGURE 22. Zuzalpheus kensleyi, n. sp. Mouthparts. Paratype female 5.0 mm (USNM 1019052): a, left mandible; b, left first maxilla; c, left second maxilla; d, left first maxilliped; e, left second maxilliped; f, right third maxilliped; g, same, detail of tip. Scale bar = 1 mm for a, b, c, d, e, 2 mm for f, and 0.4 mm for g.