Synalpheus kuadramanus, Hultgren & Macdonald Iii & Duffy, 2010

Hultgren, Kristin M., Macdonald Iii, Kenneth S. & Duffy, J. Emmett, 2010, Sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps of Curaçao, with descriptions of three new species *, Zootaxa 2372 (1), pp. 221-262 : 240-245

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.2372.1.20
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5314060
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3E7387F3-0643-F66D-A9A5-FC2F978683A9
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Synalpheus kuadramanus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Synalpheus kuadramanus View in CoL sp. nov.

(Figs. 10–13 Pl. 5A)

Type material. Holotype: Ov. female, CL 2.09 mm ( USNM 1128430 View Materials , original VIMS 08 View Materials CU9001) Piscadera Baai east (12° 07’ 15.96” N, 68° 58’ 11.64” W), in Xestospongia subtriangularis , 23.VI.2008 GoogleMaps . Allotype: Male, CL 2.41 mm ( USNM 1128429 View Materials , original VIMS 08 View Materials CU9002), same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Additional material examined. 1 ov. female, CL 2.85 mm, missing major chela ( VIMS 08CU6601), Westpunt, Curaçao, from the canals of Xestospongia proxima .

Description. Body subcylindrical; carapace smooth, sparsely setose, posterior margin with distinct cardiac notch. Frontal margin (Fig. 10A, B, 11B): rostrum clearly narrower than ocular hoods, slightly longer than ocular hoods, and distally upturned. Ocular hoods triangular, separated from rostrum by deep adrostral sinus. Stylocerite tip acute, not sharp, equivalent in length (or slightly longer than) distal margin of first segment of antennular peduncle. Basicerite without sharp spine-like tooth on dorsolateral corner, and with longer ventrolateral spine not reaching beyond 2 nd antennal peduncle. Scaphocerite twice as long as basicerite, with large blade extending 50%–75% the length of the acute lateral spine, latter robust and far overreaching 3 rd antennal peduncle. Maxilliped 3 (Fig. 12D) with distal circlet of spines on distal segment and without ventrodistal spine on antepenultimate segment.

Major pereopod 1 (Fig. 10C–F) massive, fingers shorter than 1/3 length of palm, fixed finger reduced, noticeably shorter than moveable finger; in ventral view, outer face of fixed finger without pronounced basal protuberance. Moveable finger short, with flexor margin distinctly squared-off (approaching concave), giving finger a square appearance from lateral view. Palm of chela with distal superior margin produced into prominent, square tubercle with acute spine directed forward. Merus, extensor margin convex, with distal angular projection. Minor pereopod 1 (Fig. 12A, C) with palm about 2 times longer than high, fingers shorter than palm, dactyl with flexor margin straight, blade-like, with slightly unequal bidentate tips, sparse dorsal setal combs on distal half of extensor surface of dactyl, setae plumose; fixed finger with flexor margin straight, bladelike, and subdistal accessory bump. Extensor margin of merus convex, ending in acute angle.

2 nd pereopod (Fig. 12B) with carpus 5-segmented, slightly longer than merus.

3 rd pereopod ( Fig. 13A, B View FIGURE 13 ) stout; dactyl biunguiculate, with clearly unequal teeth; and flexor tooth wider at base than extensor tooth; propodus with 7 mobile spines on flexor margin and 1 pair on distal end; carpus with 1 mobile distal spine; merus without any spine on flexor margin. 4 th pereopod ( Fig. 13C, D View FIGURE 13 ) with 6 single mobile spines on flexor margin and 2 pairs of spines on distal end. 5 th pereopod ( Fig. 13E, F View FIGURE 13 ) similar to fourth, but without distal spine on carpus, and with 5 rows of setal combs on ventral face of propodus.

Pleura 1 of male ( Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ) with posterior corner produced ventrally and anteriorly, subtly hook-like; 2 nd pleura with posterior corner broadly rounded; 3 rd to 5 th pleura with posterior margin forming broadly rounded corner.

Telson ( Fig. 11A View FIGURE 11 ), space between distal spines about 1/3 of distal margin. Uropods with single fixed tooth on outer margin of exopod anterior to moveable spine.

Color. Drab body, females with turquoise embryos and ovaries.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of the country in which it was found. “Kuadramanus” is a word derived from the indigenous Papiamentu terms for square (kuadrá) and hand (man).

Hosts and ecology. S. kuadramanus is found in the sponges Xestospongia subtriangularis and Xestospongia proxima in Curaçao.

Distribution. Curaçao (this study).

Remarks. This species is morphologically most similar to S. sanctithomae and S. mcclendoni , but can be easily distinguished from these species by a number of characters. Like S. sanctithomae and S. mcclendoni , S. kuadramanus sp. nov. has a single uropod tooth, a scaphocerite twice the length of the basicerite, and a large scaphocerite blade. S. kuadramanus can easily be distinguished from these species by the distinctively squared-off distal tip of the moveable finger of the major chela after which it is named (versus a moveable finger with a bluntly pointed distal tip). S. kuadramanus can also be differentiated by the bright turquoise color of developing embryos in ovigerous females (versus yellowish-green or orange eggs in S. sanctithomae and S. mcclendoni ). S. kuadramanus also shares some similarities to species in the S. paraneptunus species complex, notably the broadly rounded abdominal pleura of non-ovigerous individuals and relatively sparse setae on the minor chela. However, setae on the minor chela of S. kuadramanus are organized into transverse rows, as opposed to a scattered field of setae in species in the S. paraneptunus complex. Two individuals of S. kuadramanus were preserved with pieces of their host sponge in their mouths ( Fig. 11B View FIGURE 11 ).