| Abstract |
A new species of pontoniine shrimp, Periclimenes siankaa-
nensis, is described from the Mexican Caribbean coast. The new species
shares morphological features with P. patae Heard & Spotte,l991, P.
antipathophilus Spotte, Heard & Bubucis, 1994, and P. mclellandi Heard &
Spotte, 1997, all species belonging to the "iridescens" complex, and with P.
platalea Holthuis, 1951, of the tropical east Atlantic. Periclimenes
siankaanensis differs from P. patae and P. mclellandi by its large size,
pereopods 3-5 with 2 or 3 spines on propodal inner margin and the presence
of bifid dactyl, and is distinguished from P. antipathophilus by its smaller
size, entire endite on the second maxilla, pereopods 2 of same shape, and by
the lack of tooth on the movable finger. In addition, P. siankaanensis can be
separated immediately from P. platalea by having the second pereopods
equal in shape and length, and bifid dactyl present on pereopods 3-5.
Periclimenes siankaanensis inhabits shallow water Thalassia testudinum
seagrass meadows and sandy bottoms, while the other species here
compared are associated with gorgonians in deeper zones. |
