Alpheus cristulifrons is a snapping shrimp that commonly lives in male-female pairs in crevices and cavities in and around coral reefs. Relatively common and widespread, this species ranges from Florida south to Brazil. Snapping shrimp in the genus Alpheus-- including A. cristulifrons-- have been a model system for studying molecular divergence in "transisthmian" taxa that diverged following the closure of the Isthmus of Panama (Knowlton et al. 1993, Hurt et al. 2009). For more details, see Knowlton et al. (2008): http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/bioinformatics/alpheus/Alpheus_Template.php?species=cristulifrons.

Alpheus cristulifrons belongs to the Crinitus species group within the genus Alpheus, and is the nominal species of the cristulifrons species complex (Anker et al. 2008). Anker et al. (2008) revised the complex and restricted A. cristulifrons sensu stricto to the Western Atlantic, described a new species (Alpheus xanthocarpus) corresponding to eastern Atlantic specimens originally identified as A. cristulifrons, and concluded that eastern Pacific specimens identified as A. cristulifrons corresponded to A. utriensis Ramos and Von Prahl. Knowlton and Mills (1992) described color patterns in A. cristulifrons, and Knowlton et al. (1993) was the first study to recognize two cryptic transisthmian species based on molecular data. Type locality: Fernando do Noronha and Maceio, Brazil. Types stored at the Natural History Museum, London (NHM) and the National Museum of Natural History (USA). Lectotype: NHM 1888.19, paralectotypes: NHM 2006.619-627, USNM 25809. Common name: Rathbun's snapping shrimp.

Can be common, in suitable habitats; lives in male/female pairs (Anker et al. 2008).

Alpheus obesomanus (sensu Pocock, 1890); Crangon cristulifrons (Schmitt 1924, 1935, 1936, 1939); for full list of synonomies, see Anker et al. 2008.

FAO fishing area 34, FAO fishing area 47, Gulf of Mexico

Western Atlantic: Florida and Gulf of Mexico through Caribbean to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (for detailed list see Anker et al. 2008).

Maximum body size (carapace length, or CL) of males is 7.0 mm; females, 6.0 mm (Anker et al. 2008b). Color: Body dark brown or brownish green, with small rounded pale greenish or yellowish dots forming transverse bands; major chela (claw) brown with whitish and yellowish dots, with proximal portion sometimes entirely white. For more detailed descriptions, see Anker et al. 2008. Alpheus cristulifrons is closely related to A. utriensis (from the east Pacific) and A. xanthocarpus (found in the east Atlantic). A. cristulifrons can be separated from A. utriensis and A. xanthocarpus by the presence of sub-balaeniceps setae on the minor chela. A. utriensis and A. xanthocarpus). In life, A. cristulifrons differs from A. utriensis by the smaller spots on the carapce and non-banded antennal flagella, and from A. xanthocarpus by the absence of conspicuous yellow spots on the carpus of the second pereiopod (see Anker et al. 2008 for more details).

Paralectotype; Type for Alpheus cristulifrons Rathbun, 1900
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Invertebrate Zoology
Preparation: Alcohol (Ethanol)
Collector(s): A. Greeley
Year Collected: 1899
Locality: Maceio, Coral Reef, Alagoas, Brazil, South Atlantic Ocean

Depth range based on 7 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 1 sample.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 2.5 - 52
  Temperature range (°C): 24.717 - 24.717
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.245 - 0.245
  Salinity (PPS): 37.014 - 37.014
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.835 - 4.835
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.187 - 0.187
  Silicate (umol/l): 1.316 - 1.316

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 2.5 - 52
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Coral reefs and coralline rocky bottoms, in crevices of corals, rubble, cavities of coralline algae; occasionally in sponges, in intertidal reefs of sabellariid polychaetes, and in bryozoans (Chace, 1972; Christoffersen, 1979); see Anker et al. (2008) for more details. Intertidal to about 10 m.

Snapping shrimp in the genus Alpheus have been a model system for studying molecular divergence in "transisthmian" taxa that diverged following the closure of the Isthmus of Panama (Knowlton et al. 1993, Hurt et al. 2009). Based on cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequence data, Anker et al. (2008) hypothesized that A. cristulifrons is the sister species to the east-Atlantic species A. xanthocarpus, and that A. cristulifrons and A. utriensis do not represent transisthmian geminate species, as previously thought (Knowlton and Weight 1998).

Sequenced in Williams et al. 2001, Anker et al. 2008b, Hurt et al. 2009; sequences available in GenBank for COI (AF309888, AF309887, AF308995), elongation-factor 2 (FJ013610-14), elongation-factor 1 alpha (AF310793, AF309890, FJ013549-54), glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (AF310738-9, FJ013796-7), tetrahydrofolate synthase (FJ013856-7), putative GTP-binding protein (FJ13713-8), glucose phosphate dehydrogenase (FJ013503-7), and alanyl-tRNA synthetase (FJ013403-9).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Species: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1