| Abstract |
A new alpheid shrimp genus and species is described from the Niger delta in Nigeria. Leptathanas powelli gen. nov., sp.
nov. appears to be associated “commensally” with burrows of mudshrimps, Upogebia furcata (Aurivillius, 1898)
(Thalassinidea, Upogebiidae). Leptathanas gen. nov. is superficially similar to Leptalpheus Williams, 1965, a genus
composed exclusively of infaunal species. However, it is more closely related to a generic complex around Athanas
Leach, 1814, and in particular to Athanopsis Coutière, 1896. The main diagnostic features of Leptathanas gen. nov. are
the presence of an articulated plate on the sixth pleonite; the frontal margin of the carapace with a very short rostral pro-
jection and without orbital teeth; the asymmetrical and unequal chelipeds carried folded, with the propodus fitting in a
ventral excavation of the merus; and the presence of stout cuspidate setae on the protopod of the uropod.
Key words: Crustacea, Decapoda, Caridea, Alpheidae, Leptathanas, new genus, new species, infaunal shrimp, Nigeria,
West Africa, eastern Atlantic |
