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Family: Alpheidae
Hammerclaw Snapping Shrimp
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Bocas Species Database Habitat: Alpheus malleator is not easily found and is fairly hard to collect. However, you may have better chances to observe it at the bases of corals, in hard bottoms, on rocks and well hidden in the crevices of rocks. It may also be found in the bases of gorgonian species of the genus Maeandra. Distribution: This species has been reported from the Tropical western Altantic, from the Caribbean to southern Brazil. Natural History Notes: Alpheus malleator is closely related to the two species, A. isthmalleator and A. pugilator. It differs from them by the shape of the teeth present on the frontal part and by the coloration pattern that is overall more reddish. Alpheus isthmalleator has not been described yet, but a paper is in preparation (Anker et al.). A study conducted by Williams et al. (2001) looked at the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Alpheus, using the sequence data of two nuclear genes and a mitochondrial gene called cytochtome oxidase I. The phylogenetic analyses led to the discovery of three new lineages within the genus Alpheus. Those results suggested that specialized ecological conditions and different claw morphologies among the genus Alpheus would have evolved independently several times. It also raised questions about whether or not the genus Alpheus should be split into three or several genera. The authors suggested that those three lineages should at least receive the status of subgenus. Depth: Can be found in the intertidal and in the shallow subtidal, at depths varying between 10 and 15 m. Characteristics: Alpheus malleator has a body length of at least 30 mm. |