Synalpheus coutierei Banner 1953

Synalpheus coutierei A.H. Banner, 1953

Synalpheus biunguiculatus?—Coutière, 1898f:232, figs. 1–4 [not Alpheus biunguiculatus? Stimpson, 1860:31].

Synalpheus coutierei A.H. Banner, 1953:36 [type locality: S. coutierei was proposed as a replacement name for S. biunguiculatus Coutiere, 1898f:232, a misidentification based on material from Ambon; Pulau Damar-Besar, Zanzibar, Bahia de Ferñao Veloso, Mocambique; d'Arros Island, Amirante Isles; El Suweis, Egypt; Rameswaran, southern India; Holothuria Reefs, Timor Sea; Arafura Sea; and Djibouti].—D.M. and A.H. Banner, 1975:343, fig. 18a–i; 1979:241, fig. 4a,b.—A.H. and D.M. Banner, 1983:91, fig. 10.

DIAGNOSIS.—Rostrum not overreaching 1st antennular segment, apex not upturned, narrower at base than orbital teeth; 6th abdominal somite not projecting posteriorly either side of base of telson, posterior margin unarmed mesially; telson with dorsolateral spines prominent, anterior pair situated anterior to midlength of telson, posterior angles rectangular; stylocerite overreaching 1st antennular segment; basal antennal segment (basicerite) with ventrolateral tooth reaching to about level of tip of stylocerite, dorsal tooth strong, spinose, unaccompanied by 2nd, proximal tooth; antennal scale with blade narrow but not vestigial; major chela with movable finger overreaching fixed finger, palm terminating distally in bluntly acute, divergent tooth and adjacent tubercle at level of articulation with movable finger; minor chela with movable finger bearing somewhat patterned series of stiff setae, fingers terminating in single tooth; 2nd pereopod with 5 carpal articles; 3rd pereopod with dactyl biunguiculate, extensor tooth slightly longer than flexor tooth, segment neither excavate nor swollen on flexor margin, merus unarmed; uropod with tranverse articulation on lateral branch; maximum carapace length to base of rostrum at least 8 mm.

RANGE.—Suez Canal and eastern Africa to Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and most of Pacific islands, but not including Japan, Hawaii, or Society Islands; shallow subtidal to 77 meters, in dead coral and sponges. If the Clipperton Island record mentioned by D.M. and A.H. Banner (1975:344) was based on Chace (1962:612), it is referrable to S. biunguiculatus (Stimpson, 1960) and not to this species.

MATERIAL.—PHILIPPINES. Near Siasi, Sulu Archipelago: sta 5147; 5°41′40″N, 120°47′10″E; 38 m; coral sand, shells; 16 Feb 1908 (1127–1147); 12′ Agassiz beam trawl, mud bag: 2 with abdominal parasites [7.2, 7.9].

RANGE.—Red Sea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and Marshall and Loyalty islands; shallow subtidal to about 50 meters, usually associated with crinoids.