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Family: Hippolytidae
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Bocas Species Database Habitat: Various habitat types, which include coral terraces, caves and deep channels, and presence of seagrass. Can be encountered away from the shore, on a sand bottom or in zones partially exposed at low tide. Distribution: The first specimens of that new species were collected in Bocas del Toro, on the Caribbean side of Panama, but could be present also in Costa Rica, in the Southwestern Caribbean Sea. Natural History Notes: This newly species of peppermint shrimp of the family Hippolytidae was discovered during a sampling mission in regions of Panama and Costa Rica, in 2006. After a series of anatomical and field observations, as well as laboratory experiments, it was concluded that this species had not been described before and was a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite, meaning that both male and female organs were present. This interesting sexual characteristic is common for this genus. Further molecular investigations should be undergone on Lysmata in order to increase the understanding on the evolution of their sexual system. The new species was named after Mr. Frank Hoch, in gratitude for his support of the scientific research at Bocas del Toro Research Station. Characteristics: Background color whitish semitransparent with brightly colored red oblique and transverse bands and patches, animal size ranges from 10.0 to 10.3 mm. The species has 6 abdominal segments, a carapace and a rostrum (Anteromedian projection of the carapace between the eyes) that is straight but slightly curved at the tip and that is up to 2/3 times the length of the carapace. On the dorsal margin of the animal, we can distinguish three teeth and the ventral margin of the rostrum has one to three teeth. The carapace is smooth and the margin posteroventral is rounded. The eyes are fairly large and divergent. The animal possesses 5 pereiopods (posterior paired appendages or legs of the cephalothorax), where the first pereiopod is fairly small and ends as a chela and the third to fifth pereiopods are similar and decrease in length from the third to the fifth. The animal also has pleopods (paired appendages primarily used as a swimming organ), a uropod with sharp lateral tooth and a telson (terminal unit of the abdomen, bearing the anus) relatively narrow, more than 2.5 times as long as wide at base and tapering posteriorly. Lysmata Hochi is a hermaphrodite species and it has been showed that those shrimps are able to fertilize each other but are unable of self-fertilization. Different morphological characteristics can distinguish Lysmata Hochi from other species of the same genus. First, there is the presence of an unguis-shaped accessory branch on the lateral antennular flagellum. Also, the rostrum has three dorsal teeth that are followed by two mid-dorsal teeth on posterior part of the carapace; the second pereiopod has 21-24 carpal segments and there is the presence of two to four ventrolateral spines on the merus (segment from the appendage) of the third pereiopod. Finally, the color pattern is unique, especially with the presence of irregular red bands on the pleon. |