&lt;b&gt;A new record of Harlequin Shrimp (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Palaemonidae: &lt;I&gt;Hymenocera picta&lt;/I&gt; Dana, 1852) in the southern Mexican Pacific Reefs&lt;/b&gt;

Omar Valencia-Mendez,Eduardo Ramirez-Chavez,Andres Lopez-Perez,Betel Martinez-Guerrero,Virgilio Antonio-Perez

doi:10.11609/jott.3238.9.8.10571-10576

Abstract

The Harlequin Shrimp Hymenocera picta is abundant in the Indo-Pacific and Central Pacific regions, but there are few reports of it from the eastern Pacific. Two pairs of the Harlequin Shrimp were observed feeding on the Sea Star Phataria unifascialis (Gray, 1840) in the reefs of Huatulco National Park, Mexican Pacific. This paper reports the occurrence of H. picta in Mexican Pacific waters and extends its previous distribution by 1,270km north of El Ocotal, Costa Rica in the eastern Pacific equatorial zone. In addition, we evaluate the potential distribution of H. picta along the tropical eastern Pacific using the Maximum-Entropy modelling algorithm.

Highlights

Hymenocera Latreille, 1819 is a monospecific genus that contains Hymenocera picta Dana, 1852, commonly known as “Harlequin Shrimp” or “Painted Shrimp”
We report the presence of H. picta in Cacaluta Island and Punta Maguey, Mexican Pacific for the first time, extending its distribution 1, 270km north from its previous record in Central America
No specimens were collected since both sites are part of a Natural Protected Area (NPA) and collecting is forbidden without the adequate scientific collecting permit granted by Mexican federal agencies

Summary

Introduction

Hymenocera Latreille, 1819 is a monospecific genus that contains Hymenocera picta Dana, 1852, commonly known as “Harlequin Shrimp” or “Painted Shrimp”. We report the presence of H. picta in Cacaluta Island and Punta Maguey, Mexican Pacific for the first time, extending its distribution 1, 270km north from its previous record in Central America.

Results

Conclusion