Synalpheus cf. longicarpus ( Herrick, 1891 )

Anker, Arthur, Pachelle, Paulo P. G., Grave, Sammy De & Hultgren, Kristin M., 2012, 3598, Zootaxa 3598 (1), pp. 1-96 : 59-60

Synalpheus cf. longicarpus ( Herrick, 1891)

( Fig. 40 )

Alpheus saulcyi var. longicarpus Herrick, 1891: 383 , pl. 21, figs 5–7; pl. 22, figs 3, 11, 14?, 17; pl. 24, figs 2, 4–9? (partim). For more extensive synonymy of S. longicarpus ( Herrick 1891) see Christoffersen (1979), Dardeau (1984), and Ríos & Duffy

(2007).

Size. Single male, 6.0 mm cl.

Colour in life. Not recorded.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Florida [Florida Keys] (see map in Fig. 52 ).

Ecology. Shallow reef flats with abundant rubble and large sponges; depth: about 0.5 m.

Remarks. This male specimen from the Florida Keys presents features of both S. longicarpus and S. yano (see Dardeau 1984; Ríos & Duffy 2007). It shares with S. longicarpus the general shape of the orbital hoods ( Fig. 40a ); the distal tooth of the major chela directed slightly upwards ( Fig. 40b ); and the ventrally acute angles of the pleura ( Fig. 40c ). It shares with S. yano the very robust spiniform setae on the dorsal surface of the telson ( Fig. 40d ); the absence of a blade on the scaphocerite ( Fig. 40a ); and the number and size of lateral teeth on the uropodal exopod ( Fig. 40d ). Within the S. longicarpus species complex, the absence of a blade on the scaphocerite is also typical for S. hoetjesi

Hultgren, Macdonald & Duffy, 2010, a species closely related to S. ul and S. longicarpus (Hultgren et al. 2010; Hultgren & Duffy 2011). However, the Florida Keys specimen differs from S. hoetjesi in the distal tooth of the major chela being directed upwards, not downwards as in S. hoetjesi . The presence of at least two other undescribed taxa in the S. longicarpus species complex, viz. “ S. longicarpus small ” and S. “rufus” in Hultgren & Duffy (2011) suggests that the Florida Keys specimen may represent an undescribed species. However, with only a single specimen available and without genetic data, the decision about its taxonomic identity has to be deferred to another study.

Figures

FIGURE 40. Synalpheus cf. longicarpus (Herrick, 1891): a, male from Florida Keys (OUMNH.ZC.2012-07-066); a, frontal region, dorsal; b, distal portion of major chela, lateral; c; pleon, lateral; d, telson and uropod, dorsal. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 52. Presently known geographic ranges of Synalpheus hoetjesi Hultgren, Macdonald & Duffy, 2010; S. idios (Ríos & Duffy, 2007); S. kensleyi (Ríos & Duffy, 2007); S. cf. longicarpus (Herrick, 1891); S. obtusifrons Chace, 1972; S. pandionis Coutière, 1909; S. parfaiti Coutière, 1898; S. pectiniger Coutière, 1909; S. rathbunae Coutière, 1909; S. regalis Duffy, 1996; S. sanctithomae Coutière, 1909; S. scaphoceris Coutière, 1910; S. senegambiensis Coutière, 1908; S. townsendi Coutière, 1909; S. ul (Ríos & Duffy, 2007) and S. yano (Ríos & Duffy, 2007).