Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 September 2018
Three new species of snapping shrimps of the genus Alpheus are described from the Persian Gulf. These belong to the Alpheus edwardsii species-group, which is mainly characterized by unarmed orbital hoods and the presence of dorsal and ventral notches on the palm of the major chela. Alphus ankeri sp. nov. shows a close affinity to A. pacificus Dana, 1852 and A. heronicus Banner & Banner, 1982 bearing no balaeniceps crests in both sexes on the dactylus of the minor chela, and the merus of the major chela of both sexes are unarmed. This species differs from the closely related species by the absence of an overhanging proximal shoulder in the major chela. The other rock crevice inhabiting species, A. mohammadpouri sp. nov. is diagnosed by exhibiting sexual dimorphism in its balaeniceps crests and the armed merus of the major chela. These two characters are similar to those recorded for three sandy/rubble dwelling species: A. inopinatus Holthuis & Gottlieb, 1958, A. lobidens De Haan, 1849 and A. australiensis Banner & Banner, 1982. This new species is distinguishable from these latter species by the shape of the minor chela and colour pattern. A coral inhabiting species A. abumusa sp. nov. appears to be closely related to A. maindroni Coutière, 1898, showing an armed merus of the major chela and the absence of spine-like seta on the ischia of the third legs. This last new species is easily discriminated from A. maindroni by longer antennular segments, a markedly concave frontal margin between the rostrum and orbital hood, and a different colour pattern.
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