Synalpheus belizensis Anker & Tóth, 2008

Hultgren, Kristin M., Iii, Kenneth S Macdonald & Duffy, Emmett, 2011, Sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps (Alpheidae: Synalpheus) of Barbados, West Indies, with a description of a new eusocial species, Zootaxa 2834, pp. 1-16 : 5

Synalpheus belizensis Anker & Tóth, 2008

Material examined. Barbados: 1 non-ovigerous individual, 1 ovigerous female ( VIMS 08BR 5701–2), Brandon’s Beach, host unknown. 3 non-ovigerous individuals ( VIMS 08BR4101–2, 08BR4301), Brandon’s Beach, from Xestospongia proxima . 3 non-ovigerous individuals, 1 ovigerous female ( VIMS 08BR5801–2, 08BR5901), Breach Reef, from X. proxima . 5 non-ovigerous individuals, 3 ovigerous females ( VIMS 08BR7003–4, 08BR7301, 08BR7401–2, 08BR7601–2, 08BR6901–2), Cement Factory, from Xestospongia proxima . 1 non-ovigerous individual ( VIMS 08BR107), Pamir, from Hyrtios cf. proteus . 1 non-ovigerous individual ( VIMS 08BR9501), Thun- der Bay, from X. proxima . Largest ovigerous female, CL 4.37 mm, largest non-ovigerous individual, CL 4.72 mm.

Color. Ovigerous females had yellowish-green ovaries and embryos.

Hosts and ecology. Synalpheus belizensis was most common in wider canals of Xestospongia proxima , which it often shared with the closely related, but much smaller and social S. microneptunus n. sp. (see below).

Distribution. Belize ( Anker & Tóth, 2008); Jamaica ( Macdonald et al. 2009) Curaçao (Hultgren et al. 2010); Barbados (this study).

Remarks. Synalpheus belizensis can be distinguished from the closely related S. microneptunus n. sp. by the larger body size of S. belizensis (3.03 – 4.72 mm CL vs. 2.16–2.73 mm CL for S. microneptunus n. sp.) and the number of segments in the carpus of the second pereopod (5 in S. belizensis , 4 in S. microneptunus n. sp.). Some individuals of S. belizensis were infested with branchial bopyrid isopods.