Synalpheus minus (Say, 1818)
Synalpheus minus is an Western Atlantic snapping shrimp that belongs to the Brevicarpus species group within the genus Synalpheus (Coutière, 1909).
Synalpheus minus belongs to the Brevicarpus species group within the genus Synalpheus (Coutière, 1909). For more details, see Chace (1972), Christoffersen (1979), Williams (1984). Type locality: "coasts of the southern states and off East Florida" (Williams 1984), types stored at the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences (reported in Boone 1930). Morphologically very similar to S. brevicarpus; early work by Coutiere synonomized these species, but Coutiere (1909) considered both forms distinct. Chace (1972) also tentatively put S. brevicarpus in synonomy of S. minus, but color variations and other characters suggest they are distinct (Christoffersen 1979).
Cryptic habitats such as dead coral, coral rock, under rocks and stones, in grass beds, or under/among coral rubble; occasionally in sponges (Ircinia strobilina, Ircinia campana, Callyspongia sp.); intertidal to 85 m depth (Christoffersen 1979, Williams 1984).
Williams (1984) reported that this species has a long breeding season, and that adults typically occur in pairs; Knowlton (1973) reports a possibly extended larval development for this species.
Maximum body size is 38 mm total length (Williams 1984). Morphologically very similar to S. brevicarpus; early work by Coutiere synonomized these species, but Coutiere (1909) considered both forms distinct. S. brevicarpus often attains a much larger size than S. minus when the two are collected together; S. minus has the palm of the major chela with a distinct spinge and a single blunt tubercle on the distal margin, with a squared off dactyl; S. brevicarpus has the palm of the major chela with a spine and two blunt tubercles on the distal margin, with a more curved dactyl on the major chela (Rios and Duffy 2007). Chace (1972) also tentatively put S. brevicarpus in synonomy of S. minus, but color variations and other characters suggest they are distinct (Christoffersen 1979). Body translucent to yellowish white, major chela (claw) with orange fingers and pink-tipped claws; females with green eggs (Christoffersen 1979).
Alpheus minus (Say 1818); Alpheus minor (Lockington 1878); Synalpheus minus bahiensis (Coutiere 1909); Synalpheus minus antillensis (Coutiere 1909); Synalpheus minus var. somersi (Verrill 1922); Synalpheus minus minus (Chace 1956).
Sequenced in Morrison et al. 2004; sequences available in GenBank for 16S mtDNA (AY344761), and COI (AY344725, AY344726).
Western Atlantic: North Carolina to Brazil (Christoffersen 1979), including Caribbean Panama (Morrison et al. 2004); Bermuda (Williams 1984); Belize (Macdonald et al. 2006); Cuba (Martinez-Iglesias and Garcia-Raso 1999), as well as many other localities.