Dulzura schoenerae (Fox, 1973)

Figs 1, 27A

Eriopisa schoenerae Fox, 1973: 153-159, figs 5-8.

Protohadzia schoenerae: Zimmerman and Barnard 1977: 571-579, figs 1-5; Thomas 1993: 45, figs 48, 58; LeCroy 2000: 69, fig. 101.

Material examined.

Panama • 2.8-5 mm • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Hospital Bight; 9.304483°N, 82.131617°W; depth 1.5 m, surface of dead coral; 7 Aug 2005; S.E. LeCroy leg.; GCRL 6627 • 2 ♂, 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Isla Solarte; 9.244333°N, 82.250733°W; depth 0.5 m, Halimeda and Thalassia; 9 Aug 2005; S.E. LeCroy leg.; GCRL 6628 • 5 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Isla Solarte; 9.290110°N, 82.189732°W; depth 1-5 m, among coral rubble; 8 Aug 2021; K.N. White leg.; USNM 1703494 .

Diagnosis.

Male gnathopod 2 propodus palm with acute apical protrusion, much larger than female gnathopod 2; epimeron 3 with simple small posteroventral tooth; telson apically acute with apical spines.

Distribution.

USA: Florida from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas (Thomas 1993); Bahama Islands: Bimini (Fox 1973); Puerto Rico: La Parguera (Zimmerman and Barnard 1977); Cuba: Caleta de San Lázaro (Ortiz et al. 2001); Mexico: Puerto Morelos National Park (Winfield et al. 2023); Panama: Bocas del Toro (present study).

Ecology and remarks.

These amphipods are associated with coral rubble, algae, and seagrass near coral reefs at depths of 1-5 m. Panamanian specimens agree closely with previous descriptions of the species and are easily distinguishable based on the uropod 3, gnathopod 2, and epimeron 3, even in smaller specimens.