Synalpheus hoetjesi Hultgren, Macdonald, & Duffy 2010

Synalpheus hoetjesi Hultgren, Macdonald, & Duffy 2010

Synalpheus hoetjesi Hulgren, Macdonald, & Duffy 2010: 231, figs 3–9, Pl. 4B–D; Hultgren et al. 2011: 6; Hultgren & Duffy 2011: appendix 1.

Material examined: Panama: 1 male, USNM 1187899, Bocas del Toro, Cayo Solarte, Hospital Point, in Lissodendoryx colombiensis, 1–3 m, coll. K. Hultgren, 15.06.2009 [fcn P09-2003]; 22 males, 3 ov. females, USNM, Bocas del Toro, Cayo Solarte, Hospital Point, in Lissodendoryx colombiensis, 1–3 m, coll. K. Hultgren, 15.06.2009 [fcn P09-1202, 1205, 1801-2, 1805, 1907] (specimens currently used for molecular studies).

Description. For original description and illustrations see Hultgren et al. (2010).

Size range. Males, 2.7–5.2 mm cl; females, 3.6–6.2 mm cl.

Colour in life. Semitransparent with brown major chela; females with dull olive to orange ovaries and brownish-orange to yellowish-orange embryos (colour photograph in Hultgren et al. (2010).

Type locality. Caracas Baai, Curaçao.

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Caribbean Sea: Curaçao, Panama [Bocas del Toro], Barbados (Hultgren et al. 2010, 2011; Hultgren and Duffy 2011; present study; see map in Fig. 52).

Ecology. Shallow coral reefs; depth range 1–6 m; obligate associate of demosponges, including Hyattella intestinalis (in Barbados and Curacao), Agelas clathrodes (in Barbados), Xestospongia spp. (in Curacao), and Lissodendoryx colombiensis (in Panama); typically in male-female pairs.

Remarks. In Bocas del Toro, Panama, S. hoetjesi co-occurs with the morphologically very similar and phylogenetically closely related S. dardeaui (see above), S. ul and S. yano (see below). These four species are sometimes found in the same host sponge (e.g., large Lissodendoryx colombiensis) and may not be easy to distinguish from each other by morphology alone. In addition, S. hoetjesi appears to be variable in the presence or absence of a blade on the scaphocerite, a feature important in the distinction of species in this species complex. In most cases, S. hoetjesi can be separated from S. dardeaui and S. yano by the rounded posterior corner of the male second pleura (acute in S. dardeaui and angular in S. yano); from S. dardeaui by the shorter orbital teeth and the minor chela dactylus ending in two unequal teeth, distal much stronger than subdistal (vs. ending in two subequal, rod-shaped teeth in S. dardeaui); and from S. ul by the relative width of stout spiniform setae on the posterior margin of the telson (lateral clearly stouter than mesial in S. hoetjesi, lateral and mesial subequal in thickness in S. ul).