Leslibetaeus coibita Anker, Poddoubtchenko & Wehrtmann, 2006

Anker, Arthur, 2011, The alpheid shrimp genus Leslibetaeus Anker, Poddoubtchenko & Wehrtmann, 2006 in the Western Atlantic, with description of a new species from Tobago (Crustacea, Decapoda), Zootaxa 2734, pp. 63-68 : 67-68

Leslibetaeus coibita Anker, Poddoubtchenko & Wehrtmann, 2006

( Fig. 3 )

Leslibetaeus coibita Anker, Poddoubtchenko & Wehrtmann 2006: 30 , figs. 1–5.

Material examined. 1 ovigerous female (CL 3.35 mm), OUMNH.ZC. 2010-01-004, Panama, Pacific coast, Taboga Island, intertidal, under rocks, coll. A. Anker, field collection number 07-038, 19 February 2007.

Description. See Anker et al. (2006).

Colour pattern. Semitransparent with clusters of red chromatophores on antennal and antennular peduncles and abdominal somites; ovaries and eggs yellow ( Fig. 3 A, B); generally very similar to the colour pattern illustrated for the type specimen ( Anker et al. 2006: fig. 5).

Habitat. The Taboga specimen was found in the rocky intertidal close to coral heads ( Pocillopora ), under a large rock in sticky sand. It was extracted from a relatively narrow tunnel with lined walls, possibly a burrow of a polychaete or another burrowing invertebrate.

Type locality. Coibita , Coiba Archipelago, Pacific coast of Panama.

Distribution. Presently known only from two localities, the islands of Coibita and Taboga, both on the Pacific coast of Panama. The present record extends the range of L. coibita by about 400 km southwards.

Remarks. The Taboga specimen agrees with the type specimens of L. coibita from Coiba in all aspects, except for the presence of a small spiniform seta on the ischium of the third pereiopod (compare Fig. 3 C, D and Anker et al. 2006: fig. 3o). This spiniform seta may have been overlooked by Anker et al. (2006) or alternatively, its presence may be variable in L. coibita . In either case, the presence of this structure in the specimen of L. coibita from Taboga and in the holotype of L. caribbaeus n. sp. requires a slight emendation of the original generic diagnosis (see below). The previously unknown fifth pereiopod of L. coibita (missing on both sides in the holotype and paratype) is very similar to that of L. caribbaeus n. sp. (see text above and Fig. 2 D, E).

Emendation of the generic diagnosis of Leslibetaeus . The original statement “Third pereiopod with ischium lacking spine; merus unarmed; carpus with distoventral spine; propodus with slender spines on ventral margin; dactylus simple” ( Anker et al. 2006: 29) should be replaced by the following sentence: Third pereiopod with ischium usually bearing small spiniform seta on ventrolateral surface; merus unarmed; carpus with distoventral spiniform seta; propodus with slender spiniform setae on ventral margin; dactylus conical, simple.

Note that in Anker et al. (2006), the term “spine” was used for the same structure here referred to as spiniform seta.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Leslibetaeus caribbaeus n. sp., holotype, ovigerous female (CL 3.35 mm) from Sandy Bay, Tobago (USNM 401035): A, third pereiopod, lateral; B, same, dactylus; C, fourth pereipod, lateral; D, fifth pereiopod, lateral; E, same, propodus and dactylus, mesial.

FIGURE 3. Leslibetaeus coibita Anker, Poddoubtchenko & Wehrtmann, 2006, ovigerous female (CL 3.35 mm) from Taboga Island, Pacific coast of Panama (OUMNH. ZC. 2010 - 01 - 004): A, B, general view and colour pattern, dorsal and lateral; C, third pereiopod, lateral; D, same, detail of small spiniform seta on ischium.