Leptalpheus

Anker, Arthur, 2011, Six new species and three new records of infaunal alpheid shrimps from the genera Leptalpheus Williams, 1965 and Fenneralpheus Felder & Manning, 1986 (Crustacea, Decapoda), Zootaxa 3041, pp. 1-38 : 24

Leptalpheus sp. 1

Figs. 18A –E, 19A, B

Material examined. 1 female (cl 4.9 mm), MNHN-IU-2011-5244, Panama, Caribbean coast, Bocas del Toro, Isla Carenero, sandflat with seagrass, yabby pump, 0.5–1 m, leg. A. Anker, J.A. Vera Caripe, J.A. Baeza, 18.11.2006 [fcn 06-600]; 1 male (cl 8.3 mm), MNHN-IU-2011-5245, Panama, Caribbean coast, Bocas del Toro, Isla Colón, STRI Bay, off STRI station dock, seagrass flat, yabby pump, 0.5–1 m, leg. A. Anker, B. Martínez-Guerrero, 14.08.2008 [fcn 08-241].

Remarks. These two incomplete specimens, both missing their major chelipeds, appear to belong to a further undescribed species of Leptalpheus . This species may be closely related to L. pierrenoeli , a species described and currently known only from Isla Grande on the Caribbean coast of Panama ( Anker 2008). The main differences observed between Leptalpheus sp. 1 and L. pierrenoeli are the more slender minor chela, with a slightly different armature on the fingers (cf. Fig. 18 C and Anker 2008, fig. 2F, G); and the antennular peduncles with a distinctly longer, more slender second article, and with a shorter stylocerite, not reaching distal margin of the first article (cf. Fig. 18A and Anker 2008, fig. 1A). The colour pattern of Leptalpheus sp. 1 is similar to that of most other species of Leptalpheus , viz. semitransparent speckled with reddish chromatophores forming diffuse bands on the abdomen ( Fig. 19A , B). Complete specimens, with the diagnostic major cheliped, are needed to conclude about the identity of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 18. A – E— Leptalpheus sp. 1, male from Bocas del Toro, Caribbean coast of Panama (MNHN-IU- 2011 - 5245): A, frontal region, dorsal view; B, minor cheliped, lateral view; C, minor chela fingers, mesial view; D, third pereiopod, lateral view; E, uropodal protopod and exopod, dorsal view; F – J— Leptalpheus sp. 2, female from Bocas del Toro (MNHN-IU- 2011 - 5246): F, frontal region, dorsal view; G, major chela fingers, mesial view; H, second pereiopod, mesial view; I, third pereiopod, lateral view; J, uropodal protopod and exopod, dorsal view.

FIGURE 19. A, B— Leptalpheus sp. 1: A, female from Bocas del Toro, Caribbean coast of Panama (MNHN-IU- 2011 - 5244), dorsal view: B, male from the same locality (MNHN-IU- 2011 - 5245), lateral view; C, D— Leptalpheus sp. 2, female from Bocas del Toro (MNHN-IU- 2011 - 5246), lateral view on different backgrounds.