REEXAMINATION OF THE GHOST SHRIMP LEPIDOPHTHALMUS LOUISIANENSIS (SCHMITT, 1935) FROM THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO AND COMPARISON TO L. SIRIBOIA, NEW SPECIES, FROM BRAZIL (DECAPODA: THALASSINIDEA: CALLIANASSIDAE)

Abstract

ABSTRACT A complex of western Atlantic species has been confused in previous literature under the name Callianassa jamaicense Schmitt, 1935, a taxon assigned recently to the genus Lepidophthalmus Holmes, 1904. Members of this genus from the northern Gulf of Mexico have been treated as varieties or subspecies of the typical form or have been elevated to species rank without reanalysis of characters to justify that placement. Specimens from Brazil were formerly treated as typical representatives of C. jamaicensis (spelling as by Rodrigues, 1971) but with notation of some variations in morphology. Reexamination of both the northern Gulf of Mexico populations and those from Brazil establishes that populations in each of these localities are, while closely related to one another, distinguishable as separate species from Lepidophlhalmus jamaicense (Schmitt, 1935). Unique and consistent morphological characters of the eyestalks, maxillipeds, chelipeds, gonopods, uropods, carapace, and abdominal armature justify previous elevation of the varietal taxon for northern Gulf of Mexico populations to specific rank as L. louisianensis (Schmitt, 1935), and justify the recognition of a new species, L. siriboia, from the coast of Brazil.