Material examined. Barbados: 8 ovigerous females, 1 non-ovigerous individual (VIMS 08BR3701, 3801–2, 4501, 4601, 4701–2, 4801, 5101), Brandon’s Beach, from Agelas clathrodes. Largest ovigerous female, CL 3.67 mm, largest non-ovigerous individual, CL 3.43 mm.
Color. Ovigerous females had ovaries that ranged in color from pinkish-brown to a brownish brick red, with embryo color ranging from pink to brick red.
Hosts and ecology. In Barbados, S. bousfieldi only occurred in Agelas clathrodes from a single site. S. bousfieldi commonly occurs in Hyattella intestinalis in Belize (Macdonald et al. 2006) and Curaçao (Hultgren et al. 2010), but was never found in this sponge in Barbados.
Distribution. Bahamas (Dardeau 1984); Cuba (Martínez Iglesias & García Raso 1999); Gulf of Mexico (Dardeau 1984); Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico (Chace 1972); Belize (Macdonald & Duffy 2006; Ríos & Duffy 2007); Curaçao (Hultgren et al. 2010); Barbados (this study); possibly Brazil (Christoffersen 1979, 1998).
Remarks. Synalpheus bousfieldi can be distinguished from other morphologically similar species in the S. brooksi complex occurring in Barbados by the tuft of setae on the minor chela (forming a thick brush in S. bousfieldi vs. with two parallel rows in S. thele), the typical third and fourth pereopods (vs. with thin lateral flanges in S. androsi), and the shape of the dorsal projection on the major chela (pointing downwards in S. bousfieldi vs. pointing forwards in S. idios).