Ceradocus sheardi Shoemaker, 1948

White, Kristine N. & Sir, Sally J., 2024, Caribbean Amphipoda (Crustacea) of Panama. Part II: parvorder Hadziidira, ZooKeys 1195, pp. 249-296 : 249

Ceradocus sheardi Shoemaker, 1948

Figs 2 , 27B

Ceradocus sheardi Shoemaker, 1948: 7-9, fig. 2; Thomas 1993: 43, figs 51, 56; LeCroy 2000: 73, fig. 124.

Material examined.

Panama • 5-10 mm • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro, Swan Cay ; 9.4536°N, 82.300033°W; depth 2 m, coral rubble; 24 June 2023; K.N. White leg.; USNM 1703495 • 1 ♂; Bocas del Toro, Cayo Zapatilla 1; 9.269967°N, 82.0587°W; depth 10-11 m, coral rubble; 28 June 2023; K.N. White leg.; USNM 1703496 .

Diagnosis.

Antenna 1 accessory flagellum 7- or 8-articulate. Gnathopod 2 not sexually dimorphic, right and left sides similar; propodus enlarged, palm convex, defined by notch. Pereopod 7 basis without posterodistal lobe. Pleosome and urosome dorsally serrate. Epimera 1-3 posterior margins serrate. Telson approximately as long as wide with strong apical spines.

Distribution.

USA: South Florida from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas ( Thomas 1993); Puerto Rico ( LeCroy 2000); Cuba ( Shoemaker 1948; Varela et al. 2003); Mexico: Yucatan ( Shoemaker 1948; Thomas 1993); Belize ( Thomas 1993); Panama: Bocas del Toro (present study).

Ecology and remarks.

These amphipods are common among coral rubble and under rocks at depths of 1-52 m. Panamanian specimens agree closely with previous descriptions of the species and are easily distinguishable based on the uropod 3, gnathopod 2, and heavily serrate epimeron and urosome.

Figures

Figure 2. Ceradocus sheardi, male, 5.2 mm, gnathopod 2 medial, gnathopod 2 palm with setae removed, telson, epimeron and urosome uropod 3, maxilla 2, mandibular palp. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 27. Photographs of live specimens A Dulzura schoenerae B Ceraocus sheardi C Ceradocus shoemakeri D Elasmopus balkomanus E Elasmopus elieri (ethanol preserved specimen) F Elasmopus levis G Elasmopus longipropodus. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.