Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov., a new pistol shrimp from the tropical eastern Pacific (Decapoda: Alpheidae).

Arthur Anker,Kristin M Hultgren,Sammy De Grave

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4254.1.7

Abstract

A new, conspicuously coloured species of the alpheid genus Synalpheus Spence Bate, 1888, is described based on material collected on the Pacific coast of Panama. Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov. is closely related to the western Atlantic S. antillensis Coutière, 1909, the two taxa being transisthmian, cryptic sister species. Both species are characterised by the distal areas of their major and minor chelae coloured in an intense, almost glowing pink-red. The morphological differences between S. pinkfloydi sp. nov. and S. antillensis Coutière, 1909 are subtle, being limited to the slightly different proportions of the merus of both chelipeds, distodorsal armature of the major cheliped merus, relative length of the antennal scaphocerite, and body size. However, they are genetically different with a 10.2% sequence divergence in COI. Based on molecular clock estimates, these transisthmian taxa diverged around 6.8-7.8 mya, i.e. well before the final closure of the Isthmus of Panama 2.5-3 mya.

Highlights

The snapping or pistol shrimps of the family Alpheidae are one of the most studied model taxa for marine transisthmian speciation (e.g. Knowlton et al 1993; Williams et al 2001; Morrison et al 2004; Lessios 2008; Hurt et al 2009; Hultgren & Duffy 2011; Hultgren et al 2014)
One of them is S. antillensis Coutière, 1909, which itself was revived from the synonymy of S. minus only quite recently (Anker et al 2012)
The molecular analyses of Hultgren et al (2014) revealed that the western Atlantic specimens of S. antillensis were genetically clearly distinct from the eastern Pacific specimens, which were referred to as “S. aff. antillensis”. This eastern Pacific taxon, which hitherto remained without a proper scientific name, is described as a new species

Summary

Introduction

The snapping or pistol shrimps of the family Alpheidae are one of the most studied model taxa for marine transisthmian speciation (e.g. Knowlton et al 1993; Williams et al 2001; Morrison et al 2004; Lessios 2008; Hurt et al 2009; Hultgren & Duffy 2011; Hultgren et al 2014). Holotype: male (cl 5.5 mm), MZUSP 33778, Panama, Pacific coast, Las Perlas Archipelago, Isla Bartolomé (near Isla Contadora), intertidal and shallow subtidal rocky bottom, in crevices of rocks and living and dead corals, low tide, leg.

Results

Conclusion