Leptalpheus axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999

Almeida, Alexandre O., Boehs, Guisla, Araújo-Silva, Catarina L. & Bezerra, Luis Ernesto A., 2012, Shallow-water caridean shrimps from southern Bahia, Brazil, including the first record of Synalpheus ul (Ríos & Duffy, 2007) (Alpheidae) in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, Zootaxa 3347, pp. 1-35 : 15

Leptalpheus axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999

( Fig. 4 )

Leptalpheus axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999: 477 , figs. 1–30.

Material examined. 1 m, 1 ni, 05.V.2008, Itacaré, Contas River, MZUESC 1214.

Distribution. Western Atlantic—Florida and Brazil (Pernambuco and São Paulo) ( Dworschak & Coelho 1999; Anker et al. 2006).

Ecological notes. The present specimens were collected from burrows of unknown hosts in the muddy intertidal zone, at a salinity of 30 psu. The species is considered to be a commensal of Axianassa australis Rodrigues & Shimizu, 1992 (Gebiidea: Axianassidae ) ( Dworschak & Coelho 1999; Anker et al. 2006). Several specimens of Lepidophthalmus siriboia Felder & Rodrigues, 1993 (Axiidea: Callianassidae ) were collected at the same site, but none was caught together with L. axianassae .

Previous records. None.

Remarks. This first record of L. axianassae from Bahia fills a significant gap in the species distribution in Brazil, which extends from Pernambuco to São Paulo. The species is easily recognizable by the short antennular peduncles (with articles slightly longer than wide) ( Fig. 4 A) and the presence of only one large, triangular, obtuse tooth on the cutting edge of the major chela pollex ( Fig. 4 C, D; see also Dworschak & Coelho 1999, p. 480, fig. 18). Another important feature of L. axianassae , viz. the presence of a small tubercle on the eyestalks, was not observed to avoid damage of the rare material.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Leptalpheus axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999, male (CL = 5.9 mm) (MZUESC 1214), Contas River, Itacaré, state of Bahia, Brazil. (A) head and cephalic appendages, dorsal view; (B) head and cephalic appendages, lateral view; (C) right major chela, ventrolateral view; (D) right major chela, distal portion, mesial view; (E) left minor chela, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B, E, F = 1 mm; C, D = 0.5 mm.