[Crustacea • 2017] Synalpheus pinkfloydi • A New Pistol Shrimp (Decapoda: Alpheidae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

 Synalpheus pinkfloydi 

Anker, Hultgren & de Grave, 2017

  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.

Keywords: Crustacea, Malacostraca, Caridea, snapping shrimp, Pacific Ocean, transisthmian taxa

FIGURE 3. Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov., habitus and colour in life, holotype male (MZUSP 33778), Las Perlas Archipelago, Panama.

Photographs by A. Anker. 

Etymology. Named after the well-known British rock band Pink Floyd, inspired by the bright pink-red claw of the new species. 

Suggested vernacular name: Pink Floyd Pistol Shrimp.

 Type locality. Las Perlas Archipelago, Bay of Panama.

Distribution. Presently known only from the type locality on the Pacific side of Panama; likely more widespread in the tropical eastern Pacific, but unlikely to occur on the Dark Side of the Moon due to lack of suitable habitat.

  

Arthur Anker, Kristin M. Hultgren and Sammy de Grave. 2017. Synalpheus pinkfloydi sp. nov., A New Pistol Shrimp from the tropical eastern Pacific (Decapoda: Alpheidae).
 Zootaxa. 4254(1); 111–119.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4254.1.7