Dulzura schoenerae (Fox, 1973)

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

Dulzura schoenerae (Fox, 1973)

Figs 1 , 27A

Eriopisa schoenerae Fox, 1973: 153-159, figs 5-8.

Protohadzia schoenerae : Zimmerman and Barnard 1977: 571-579, figs 1-5; Thomas 1993: 45, figs 48, 58; LeCroy 2000: 69, fig. 101.

Material examined.

Panama • 2.8-5 mm • 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro , Hospital Bight; 9.304483°N, 82.131617°W; depth 1.5 m, surface of dead coral; 7 Aug 2005; S.E. LeCroy leg.; GCRL 6627 • 2 ♂, 1 ♀; Bocas del Toro , Isla Solarte; 9.244333°N, 82.250733°W; depth 0.5 m, Halimeda and Thalassia ; 9 Aug 2005; S.E. LeCroy leg.; GCRL 6628 • 5 ♀; Bocas del Toro , Isla Solarte; 9.290110°N, 82.189732°W; depth 1-5 m, among coral rubble; 8 Aug 2021; K.N. White leg.; USNM 1703494 .

Diagnosis.

Male gnathopod 2 propodus palm with acute apical protrusion, much larger than female gnathopod 2; epimeron 3 with simple small posteroventral tooth; telson apically acute with apical spines.

Distribution.

USA: Florida from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas ( Thomas 1993); Bahama Islands: Bimini ( Fox 1973); Puerto Rico: La Parguera ( Zimmerman and Barnard 1977); Cuba: Caleta de San Lázaro ( Ortiz et al. 2001); Mexico: Puerto Morelos National Park ( Winfield et al. 2023); Panama: Bocas del Toro (present study).

Ecology and remarks.

These amphipods are associated with coral rubble, algae, and seagrass near coral reefs at depths of 1-5 m. Panamanian specimens agree closely with previous descriptions of the species and are easily distinguishable based on the uropod 3, gnathopod 2, and epimeron 3, even in smaller specimens.

Figures

Figure 1. Dulzura schoenerae, female, 2.8 mm, epimeron 3, coxa 6, telson, uropod 3, gnathopod 2 medial. 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.