Biological and ecological notes about the snapping shrimp Alpheus formosus Gibbes, 1850 from two continental islands in Sao Paulo State - Brazil

Abstract

While previous studies on Alpheus formosus Gibbes, 1850 focused on taxonomic and phylogenetic issues, the present study provides information on the biology and ecology of this snapping shrimp, a representative coral reef species widely distributed in the Atlantic Ocean. We studied A. formosus between 2015 and 2016 on two islands in Sao Paulo state, Brazil: Laje de Santos and Vitoria Island. We analyzed 47 specimens from Laje de Santos and 44 from Vitoria Island. Individuals ranged in size from 2.0 mm to 13.99 mm CL. The mean number of embryos attached to the pleopods of females was 211.28 +/- 312.8 in Laje de Santos and 125.2 +/- 177.8 in Vitoria Island. This species should be included in monitoring programs of coral ecosystems they inhabit as A. formosus represents a key element in trophic dynamics of these ecosystems.