Synalpheus irie Macdonald, Hultgren, and Duffy 2009
Synalpheus irie is a Caribbean snapping shrimp that dwells primarily in the interior canals of sponges. Like other sponge-dwelling snapping shrimp, Synalpheus irie has a streamlined body shape well-adapted to life in sponge canals. As of 2009, known only from Jamaica (Macdonald et al. 2009).
Synalpheus irie is a member of the Gambarelloides species group within the genus Synalpheus. Named in honor of the nation in which it was first found; "irie" is a Rastafari term meaning that which is good and peaceful. Type locality: Discovery Bay, Jamaica (Macdonald et al. 2009), types stored at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM). Holotype: USNM 1126365, allotype: USNM 1126366.
Synalpheus irie lives primarily in the interior canals of sponges (phylum Porifera) in and around coral reefs.
Associate of sponges (phylum Porifera), primarily the sponge species Auletta cf. sycinularia (Macdonald et al. 2009).
Like most species in the genus Synalpheus, S. irie is pair-living, with swimming larvae (Macdonald et al. 2009, unpublished data)
Like most members of the Gambarelloides species group, Synalpheus irie has a streamlined body adapted to living in sponge canals and a thick brush of setae on the minor chela (claw). Maximum body size (carapace length, or CL) of males is 4.9 mm (holotype); females, 5.33 mm (allotype) (Macdonald et al. 2009). Color: Body nondescript, distal end of major chela bright orange with a white crescent spanning palm near fingers; ovaries and embryos green.
Western Atlantic: Jamaica (Macdonald et al. 2009).