Shrimps of the genus Synalpheus Spence Bate, 1888 (Decapoda: Alpheidae) from Northeast Brazil region

The aim of this study was to provide a commented catalogue of the snapping shrimp species belonging to the genus Synalpheus Spence Bate, 1888 from Northeast Brazil region, a 3,300 kilometers long tropical coast. The material examined was collected from various sites along the coast of the state of Pernambuco, as well as from the archipelagos of Fernando de Noronha and São Pedro e São Paulo. Additionally, specimens deposited in the crustacean collection of the Museu de Oceanografia Prof. Petrônio Alves Coelho (MOUFPE) were also examined. A total of 1010 individuals belonging to 26 species were analyzed. This study provides six new records for the southwestern Atlantic [Synalpheus barahonensis Armstrong, 1949, S. belizensis Anker & Tóth, 2008, S. brevidactylus Anker & Tóth, 2008, S. corallinus Macdonald, Hultgren & Duffy, 2009, S. hoetjesi Hultgren, Macdonald & Duffy, 2010, and S. kensleyi (Ríos & Duffy, 2007)] and 13 range extensions/new records [(S. agelas Pequegnat & Heard, 1979, S. androsi Coutière, 1909, S. antillensis Coutière, 1909, S. dardeaui (Ríos & Duffy, 2007), S. fritzmuelleri Coutière, 1909, S. hemphilli Coutière, 1909, S. herricki Coutière, 1909, S. pandionis Coutière, 1909, S. ruetzleri Macdonald & Duffy, 2006, S. tenuispina Coutière, 1909, S. townsendi Coutière, 1909, S. ubatuba Mantelatto, França, Cunha & Almeida, 2023, and S. yano (Ríos & Duffy, 2007)]) along the Brazilian coast. Some of these records were confirmed using molecular data (ribosomal 16S gene). Moreover, comments regarding doubtful records in the study area (S. filidigitus Armstrong, 1949, S. longicarpus (Herrick, 1891), S. paraneptunus Coutière, 1909, and S. rathbunae Coutière, 1909) are also provided. Taking into account the exclusion of the doubtful records, our data increases from 27 to 29, and from 29 to 31 species, recorded in the study area and along the Brazilian coast, respectively.