Recognizing two new Hippolyte species (Decapoda, Caridea, Hippolytidae) from the South China Sea based on integrative taxonomy.

Zhi-Bin Gan,Xin-Zheng Li

doi:10.7717/peerj.6605

Abstract

Hippolyte shrimps exhibit abundant biological diversity and display great ecological significance in seaweed bed ecosystems. Dozens of Hippolyte specimens were collected from Hainan Island and the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea. Detailed examination indicates that some of these specimens represent new Hippolyte species. Based on morphological, genetic, and ecological data, Hippolyte chacei sp. nov. and H. nanhaiensis sp. nov. are described. H. chacei sp. nov. was collected from the Sargassum sp. biotope in Hainan Island and is distinguished from congeners by its unique mandible and the dactylus of the third to fifth pereiopods; this species has a basal position in the Indo-West Pacific species clade in the phylogenetic tree which is reconstructed based on 16S rRNA gene. H. nanhaiensis sp. nov. was collected from the biotopes of Galaxaura sp. or Halimeda sp. in the Xisha Islands, and it differs from congeners in a series of characters associated with rostrum, scaphocerite, antennular peduncle, and spines on the dactylus of the third to fifth pereiopods. Additionally, it is sister to H. australiensis in the phylogenetic tree. A key to identifying mature female Hippolyte species of the Indo-West Pacific and neighboring seas is provided.

Highlights

Shrimps of the genus Hippolyte Leach, 1814 display high diversity in morphology, coloration, and ecological habits
Recognizing two new Hippolyte species (Decapoda, Caridea, Hippolytidae) from the South China Sea based on integrative taxonomy
After detailed examination and multiple analyses, we described two new species of the “H. ventricosa H

Summary

Introduction

Shrimps of the genus Hippolyte Leach, 1814 display high diversity in morphology, coloration, and ecological habits. They occur mainly in tropical and temperate oceans, some species, such as Hippolyte varians Leach, 1814, are known from the Arctic Circle (D’Udekem D’Acoz, 2007). Most Hippolyte species inhabit seaweed beds, but some are obligate or facultative symbionts of other organisms, such as gorgonians and crinoids (D’Udekem D’Acoz, 2007; Marin, Okuno & Chan, 2011). The taxonomy, phylogeny, and biology of Hippolyte taxa have attracted considerable attention in recent. How to cite this article Gan Z-B, Li X-Z. Recognizing two new Hippolyte species (Decapoda, Caridea, Hippolytidae) from the South China Sea based on integrative taxonomy.

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