Alpheus leptochirus Coutière 1905

Alpheus leptochirus Coutière, 1905

A[lpheus] leptochirus Coutière, 1905:914, pl. 87: fig. 54 [type locality: Maldive Islands (2 localities)].

Alpheus leptochirus.—D.M. and A.H. Banner, 1978:223.

DIAGNOSIS.—(Edwardsii Group). Body not unusually compressed or setose; rostrum slender, reaching nearly to level of distal margin of 1st antennular segment, distinctly carinate in midline as far as posterior limits of orbital hoods, base not abruptly delimited from adrostral furrows; carapace without median tooth or tubercle on gastric region or strong paired acute teeth overhanging posterior ends of adrostral furrows, anterior margin mesial to orbital hoods unarmed and rather deeply incised each side of rostrum, orbital hoods unarmed, adrostral furrows rather deep; 2nd antennular segment less than 1 times as long as wide; basal antennal segment (basicerite) armed with lateral tooth; antennal scale with lateral margin not deeply concave, distolateral spine strong but not unusually stout, overreaching distal end of tapered blade; 1st pereopods with distal tooth on inferior flexor margin of merus; major chela compressed, 3 to 3 times as long as wide, dactyl not double-ended, with shallow “saddle” proximal to adhesive plaque, proximal shoulder low, not overhanging “saddle,” shoulder on margin proximal to fixed finger not very strong; minor chela 5 to 5 times as long as wide, dactyl shorter than palm, “balaeniceps” in male only; 2nd pereopod with proximal carpal article as long as or slightly shorter than 2nd; 3rd pereopod with dactyl very slender, simple, not biunguiculate, propodus bearing 7 slender spines on flexor margin, carpus with extensor margin projecting slightly distally, merus and ischium unarmed; maximum carapace length to base of rostrum perhaps about 5 mm.

RANGE.—Maldive Islands, Seychelles, Réunion, and, perhaps, Philippines. The records from Hawaii by A.H. Banner (1953:133) and the Marianas by the same author (1956:362) need to be confirmed (see “Remarks” below).