Synalpheus

Iii, Kenneth S Macdonald, Hultgren, Kristin & Duffy, Emmett, 2009, The sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps (Crustacea, Decapoda, Alpheidae, Synalpheus) of Discovery Bay, Jamaica, with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 2199, pp. 1-57 : 50

Synalpheus ul (Ríos and Duffy)

Material examined. Jamaica: non-ovigerous individual ( VIMS 08JAM0301), Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, from canals of Hymeniacidon caerulea . Non-ovigerous individual ( VIMS 08JAM0803), Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, from canals of Hyattella intestinalis . Non-ovigerous individual ( VIMS 08JAM3401), forereef (near M1 channel marker), Discovery Bay, from canals of H. caerulea . Non-ovigerous individual ( VIMS 08JAM4801), Columbus Park, Discovery Bay, from canals of Lissodendoryx sp. Ovigerous female ( VIMS 08JAM6602), Dairy Bull Reef, from canals of H. caerulea . MaxCL ovigerous female: 2.44 mm. MaxCL nonovigerous individual: 3.00 mm.

Color. Translucent; distal portion of major chela bright orange; embryos and ovaries bright orange.

Hosts and ecology. In Jamaica, S. ul was collected from a variety of sponge species, including Hymeniacidon caerulea , Hyattella intestinalis , and Lissodendoryx sp. This pattern of generalized host associations contrasts with that found in Belize, where it seems to be a specialist on H. caerulea .

Distribution. Belize (Macdonald et al. 2006; Ríos and Duffy 2007); Jamaica (this study).

Remarks. Synalpheus ul is another member of the morphologically similar complex of species that includes S. pandionis , S. dardeaui , and S. yano . Individuals of S. ul superficially resemble the related S. yano , but can be distinguished by the presence in S. ul of a scaphocerite blade (reduced but present in some individuals) and distal telson spines that are unequal in length.