Periclimenaeus caraibicus Holthuis, 1951

Fransen, Charles H. J. M., 2023, The marine palaemonid shrimps (Crustacea, Deapoda, Caridea) of the Dutch Caribbean, Zootaxa 5387 (1), pp. 1-127 : 40-43

Periclimenaeus caraibicus Holthuis, 1951

( Figs. 19–20 , video 7)

Material examined. Curaçao: RMNH.CRUS.D.58131 : 1 female, pocl. 1.1 mm, R =5/1, 1 ovigerous female, pocl. 1.9 mm, R=7/1; stn COA.10, Waterfabriek II , 12°06′37.00″N 68°57′16.30″W, 31.x.2013, depth 30 m, in N. digitalis , collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen (photo B.T. Reijnen 001–006) . RMNH.CRUS.D.58132 : 1 male, pocl. 0.9 mm , R =5/0; 1 female, pocl. 0.9 mm , R =5/1; 1 female, pocl. 1.0 mm , R =5/1; stn COA. 21, Marie Pampoen , 12°05′26.74″N 68°54′17.84″W, 05.ix.2013, depth 10 m, scuba diving, in rose sponge, D. anchorata (photo COA.21 033, 034), collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. RMNH. CRUS.D.58133: 2 specimens, pocl. 1.1 mm , R =5/1; 1 male, pocl. 1.1 mm , R =5/1; 1 female, pocl. 1.1 mm , R =6/1; stn COA.22, Grote Knip , 12°21′04.10″N 69°09′06.90″W, 06.xi.2013, depth 35 m, scuba diving, in N. digitalis , collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. RMNH. CRUS. D.58134: 6 specimens; stn CAR.04, Blue Bay , 12°08.063′N 68°59.138′W, 02.iv.2014, depth 21 m, scuba diving, in Phorbas amaranthus Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 (id. R.W.M. van Soest), collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58135: 1 ovigerous female, pocl. 1.5 mm, R =5/1; stn CAR.05, Playa Kalki , 12°22.536′N 69°09.464′W, 1.iv.2014, depth 14 m, scuba diving, in Niphates erecta Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 (id. R. W.M. van Soest), collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS. D.58136: 1 specimen, pocl. 1.1 mm , R =5/1; stn CAR.05, Playa Kalki , 12°22.536′N 69°09.464′W, 01.iv.2014, depth unknown, scuba diving, on blue branched sponge, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS. D.58137: 2 specimens, pocl. 1.1, 0.8 mm; stn CAR.12, Caracasbaai , 12°04.588′N 68°51.817′W, 10.iv.2014, depth 20 m, scuba diving, in D. anchorata (id. R. W.M. van Soest), collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS. D.58138: 10 specimens; stn CAR.14, Vaersenbaai , 12°09.678′N 68°00.237′W, 11.iv.2014, depth 24 m, scuba diving, in D. anchorata (id. R. W.M. van Soest), collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS. D.58139: 1 specimen; stn CAR.17, Coral Estate / Habitat Curaçao, 12°11.877′N 69°04.751′W, 16.iv.2014, depth 18 m, scuba diving, in N. erecta (id. R. W.M. van Soest), collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58140: 1 ovigerous female, pocl. 1.6 mm, R = 6/1; Boei 1, 18.iv.2014, depth 8 m, in D. anchorata (id. R. W.M.van Soest), collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58141: 1 specimen; Radio City, 21.iv.2014, depth unknown, scuba diving, in N. erecta , collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58142: 1 specimen; stn CAR.26, Grote Knip , 12°21.087′N 69°09.095′W, 23.iv.2014, depth 10 m, scuba diving, in C. (C.) plicifera , collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58143: 1 ovigerous female; stn CAR.29, Fuikbaai , 12°02.855′N 68°49.838′W, 25.iv.2014, depth unknown, scuba diving, in pink branching sponge, collected by C. Rauch. RMNH. CRUS.D.58144: 1 male, pocl. 1.1 mm , R =4/1; stn CF12B-2, Substation, depth 15 m, in Niphates digitalis (Lamarck, 1814) , collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen. Bonaire: RMNH. CRUS.D.57866: 1 ovigerous female, pocl. 1.6 mm , R =4/1; stn BON.02, Pink Beach (Kabayé), 12°03.849′N 068°16.896′W, 23.x.2019, depth 2 m, scuba diving; in red encrusting sponge, collected by C.H.J.M. Fransen (video 7) .

Remarks. The morphological characters of the present specimens agree well with the original description of Holthuis (1951b). Most specimens with rostrum typically with 5 dorsal teeth and one subdistal ventral tooth; smaller specimens with 4 dorsal rostral teeth ( Fig. 19A ), without subdistal ventral tooth; rostrum reaching distal margin of penultimate segment of antennular peduncle. Large ovigerous specimen with 6 dorsal rostral teeth ( Fig. 19B, C ). Distinct acute postorbital tubercle ( Fig. 19B ) present in large specimens; in smaller specimens indistinct or absent ( Fig. 19A ); antennal tooth distinct but modest, at level of inferior orbital angle; inferior orbital angle broadly rounded, slightly produced; pterygostomial angle slightly produced in larger specimens. Scaphocerite overreaching antennular peduncle by distolateral tooth; distolateral tooth very strong, distinctly overreaching distal margin of lamina ( Fig. 19C ); carpocerite reaching to 3/4 th of scaphocerite length ( Fig. 19B ). First pereiopods long and slender. Second pereiopods unequal in size and shape; ischium and merus with tubercles on ventral margins, with scattered tubercles covering palm; distal part of fingers entire, without fine denticulation. Propodus of third pereiopod with series of about 10 strong ventral spines in larger specimens ( Fig. 19E ), spines slenderer in smaller specimens ( Fig. 19G ); propodus of fourth and fifth pereiopods with less spines, usually not more than 5. Dactyli of ambulatory pereiopods long and slender, biunguiculate, with both unguis and concave flexor margin of corpus serrate ( Fig. 19F, G ); in a large specimen, several small denticles ( Fig. 19F ) present on dorsal margin of corpus. First abdominal segment without anterior median dorsal lobe. Sixth abdominal somite with posterolateral margin with tooth ( Fig. 19D ). Telson with long anterior dorsal pair of spines situated near proximal border, submarginal; posterior pair of dorsal spines slightly shorter, situated halfway telson, submarginal; lateral pair of distal spines much shorter than dorsal spines; distal margin of telson with small acute median tooth ( Fig. 19D ). Distolateral tooth of exopod of uropod short with mobile spine medially; mobile spine much longer than distolateral tooth.

The coloration ( Fig. 20 ) is translucent with some minute scattered red and white chromatophores. Typically a continual white band is present from the corneas over the dorsal side of the eystalks, joining medially under the basis of the rostrum.

Ecology. The species has been recorded in association with sponges: Amphimedon compressa ,? Pseudaxinella reticulata , Tedania cf. signis (see De Grave & Anker 2017). Now for the first time recorded from N. digitalis , N. erecta , D. anchorata , P. amaranthus , and C. (C.) plicifera .

Distribution. It is known from scattered locations in the tropical western Atlantic: Caribbean coast of Panama ( Duffy 1992; De Grave & Anker 2017); Tobago ( Holthuis 1951b); Barbuda, Dominica, Antigua Island, Santa Lucia Island, Bahia de la Ascensión ( Mexico) ( Chace 1972); Cuba ( Martinez-Iglesias et al. 1996); Rocas Atoll, Brazil ( Cardoso & Young 2007, Vieira et al. 2012); in shallow waters of 1–3 m depth. Now recorded for the first time from Curaçao and Bonaire.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Periclimenaeus caraibicus Holthuis, 1951b. A, G, RMNH.CRUS.D.58132, female, pocl. 0.9 mm. B–F, RMNH. CRUS.D.58131, ovigerous female, pocl. 1.9 mm. A, B, anterior appendages, lateral view; C, idem, dorsal view; D, telson; E, left third pereiopod, dactylus and propodus; F, G, idem, dactylus and distal part propodus. Scale bars:A–D=1.0 mm; E=0.5 mm; F, G=0.125 mm.

FIGURE 20. Periclimenaeus caraibicus Holthuis, 1951b, dorsal view, stn COA.10, Curaçao, Waterfabriek II, 12°06′37.00″N 68°57′16.30″W, 31.x.2013, depth 30 m, in Niphates digitalis (Lamarck, 1814). (Photograph by B.T. Reijnen.)