Synalpheus fritzmuelleri (Coutière, 1909)

Material examined: Rio Grande do Norte—São Pedro e São Paulo Archipelago: 3 F, 10 m depth, in an ARS, DZ / UFRGS 7068 ; 1 F, 0.1 m depth, in coral, DZ / UFRGS 7069; Paraíba—João Pessoa: 1 M, in coral reef, MOUFPE 8898 ; 1 M, 1 OV, Praia de Cabo Branco, 23.iii.2023, under rocks, DZ / UFRGS 7054 ; Pernambuco—Fernando de Noronha: 2 M, MOUFPE 8793 ; Cabo de Santo Agostinho: 1 F, 16.vi.2015, MOUFPE 21857 ; 2 M, Calhetas, 27.iv.1990, MOUFPE 8877 ; 2 M, 2 OV, 5 F, Calhetas, 27.iii.1990, MOUFPE 8882 ; 1 M, 1 OV, 1 F, Calhetas, 03.xii.1990, 7°50′S 34°49′W, 1.0–3.0 m depth, MOUFPE 8888 ; 1 F, Calhetas, 09.viii.1990, MOUFPE 8894 ; 1 M, Calhetas, 25.v.1990, MOUFPE 8900 ; 1 OV, Calhetas, MOUFPE 8906 ; 2 M, Gaibu, MOUFPE 8809 ; 1 M, 1 OV, 1 F, Gaibu, 17.ix.1989, MOUFPE 8883 ; 2 M, 1 OV, Praia do Paiva, 13.viii.2015, MOUFPE 21859 ; 1 M, Praia do Paiva, 05.vii.2007, under rocks, MOUFPE 15457 ; 1 M, 1 OV, Praia do Paraíso, 28.xi.2019, 8°21′54′′S 34°56′50′′W, under rocks, MOUFPE 21863 ; 2 M, Baía de Suape, 05.vi.1998, 8°21′54′′S 34°56′50′′W, MOUFPE 13156 ; 1 OV, Baía de Suape, 09.i.1970, 7°49′S 34°48′W, 1.2 m depth, MOUFPE 8892 ; Goiana: 1 OV , Milênio Project St. 03, Rio Carrapicho, 11.ii.2004, MOUFPE 15781 ; 1 M, 1 OV, Praia de Pontas de Pedra, 07°37′00′′S 34°48′51′′W, 1.0 m depth, associated with Dysidea etheria Laubenfels, 1936, MOUFPE 21601 ; 1 F, same data as MOUFPE 21601, associated with Amphimedon compressa Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864, MOUFPE 21602 ; Ilha de Itamaracá: 1 M, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 06, 08.i.1989, 7°43′36′′S 34°49′24′′W, 3.7 m depth, MOUFPE 8878 ; 1 M, 1 F, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 91, 1990, 7°35′58′′S 34°48′33′′W, 10.5 m depth, MOUFPE 8879 ; 1 M, 2 OV, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 46, 1990, 7°43′36′′S 34°49′24′′W, 3.7 m depth, MOUFPE 8880 ; 2 M, 1 OV, 2 NI, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 92, 03.xii.1990, 7°36′S 34°48′W, 0.15–0.65 m depth, MOUFPE 8886 ; 1 M, 2 OV, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 74, MOUFPE 8889 ; 1 M, 1 OV, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 11, MOUFPE 8891 ; 1 OV, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 41, 09.i.1970, 7°51′S 34°49′W, 3.9 m depth, MOUFPE 8893 ; 1 OV, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 30, MOUFPE 8895 ; 1 OV, Ilha de Itamaracá, St. 89, 03.xii.1990, 7°36′08′′S 34°48′33′′W, 0.6 m depth, MOUFPE 8899 ; Jaboatão dos Guararapes: 1 M, 1 OV , 1 F, Candeias, 16.ix.1989, MOUFPE 8876 ; 3 M, 3 OV, 1 F, Piedade, 18.iii.1969, 7°45′36′′S 34°48′00′′W, 1.65 m depth, in coral reef, MOUFPE 8890 ; 1 M, Piedade, 22.xi.1968, MOUFPE 8902 ; Recife: 1 F, Praia de Boa Viagem, 05.i.2008, DZ / UFRGS 7055 ; 1 F, Praia de Boa Viagem, 05.i.2008, MOUFPE 21872 ; Sirinhaém: 1 M, 1 F, Ilha de Santo Aleixo, MOUFPE 13442 ; 1 M, Ilha de Santo Aleixo, MOUFPE 13515 ; 4 M, 3 F, Ilha de Santo Aleixo, 05.vi.2015, MOUFPE 21858 ; Tamandaré: 1 OV , Praia de Carneiros, 06.vi.2019, 8°41′32′′S 35°4′25′′W, 2.0 m depth, under rocks, MOUFPE 21594 ; 1 M, Praia de Carneiros, iv.1998, MOUFPE 10563 ; 1 OV, 1 F, Praia de Carneiros, 08.iv.1997, MOUFPE 10566 ; Sergipe —2 M, 2 F, Plataforma Pdo 2 Posição Face Externa Pé Fora Da Superfície, MOUFPE 15360 ; 2 M, 4 OV, Plataforma Pcb 4 Face, 01.xi.2000, MOUFPE 15770 ; 3 M, 1 F, Plataforma Pcm 5 Pós: Face Externa Pé: Terra Superfície, MOUFPE 15771 ; 5 M, 5 OV, Plataforma Pcb 4 Face Externa Fora Fundo, 01.xi.2000, MOUFPE 15772 ; 2 M, Plataforma PCM11 Pós Face Externa Pé: Fora Superfície Externa, MOUFPE 15773 ; 2 M, 2 OV, 3 F, Plataforma Pd 02 Face Externa Terra Meio, 30.x.2000, MOUFPE 15776 ; 1 M, 1 OV, Plataforma Pcm 5 Face Externa Pé: Fora Superfície, 30.x.2000, MOUFPE 15780 ; 1 M, Plataforma Pcb 4 Face Externa Terra Superfície, 01.xi.2000, MOUFPE 15782 ; Bahia —1 M, BCAM 40 GAR 256 R3 C2 (environmental consultancy activity), xii.2008, MOUFPE 15774; 1 F, Bioincrustação P15S R2 C2 (environmental consultancy activity), xii.2008, MOUFPE 15775; 1 F, Bioincrustação P25S R1 C2 (environmental consultancy activity), xii.2008, MOUFPE 15777; 1 OV, Bioincrustação P45S R3 C2 (environmental consultancy activity), xii.2008, MOUFPE 15778; 1 OV, Bioincrustação P210S R3 CR (environmental consultancy activity), MOUFPE 15779 .

Description: Coutière (1909), Williams (1984), and Anker et al. (2012).

Distribution: USA (North Carolina to Florida), Gulf of Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Panama, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Aruba, Venezuela, Saint Martin, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil (Abrolhos, Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, São Pedro e São Paulo Archipelago, Trindade & Martin Vaz Archipelago, and from Ceará to Santa Catarina), Santa Helena and Ascension Islands (Anker et al. 2012 and references therein; 2016; Santos et al. 2012 and references therein; Soledade et al. 2015; this study).

Ecology: Under rocks, in clusters of coralline algae, among roots in mangroves, in reefs of Phragmatopoma sp., and in association with cnidarians, bryozoans, and sponges (e.g. Amphimedon sp., Aplysina sp., Dysidea sp., Ircinia sp.); in heterosexual pairs; shallow waters to 51 m (Williams 1984; Frick et al. 2003; Anker et al. 2012; Cházaro-Olvera & Vázquez-López 2014; Almeida et al. 2015; this study). Also on gas platforms in the Colombian Caribbean region and on mussel farming lines in Santa Catarina (Macedo et al. 2012; Gracia et al. 2013). Part of the material examined was collected in coral and under rocks. Herein, we provide the first record of the species in the sponge Dysidea etheria .

Remarks: Synalpheus fritzmuelleri is one of the most common species of Synalpheus in the western Atlantic, with multiples records along the Brazilian coast (e.g., Christoffersen 1979, 1998; Anker et al. 2012; Santos et al. 2012; Soledade et al. 2015). Synalpheus fritzmuelleri is a possible species complex (Anker et al. 2012). A comprehensive study must be conducted to clarify the taxonomic status of the species, including the status of its three junior synonyms, originally described as varieties: S. f. caribaea Verrill, 1922, from Dominica Island; S. f. carolinensis Verrill, 1922, from North Carolina, USA; and S. f. elongatus Coutière, 1909, from Florida, USA (Coutière, 1909; Verrill 1922; Anker et al. 2012).