Three new species of Lebbeus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Hippolytidae) from the Northeastern Pacific

Abstract

Three new species of hippolytid shrimps are described from the northeastern Pacific. Lebbeus eludus and L. mundus are often found at shallow depths (10–20 m) in the crevices of rock walls. Both have previously been mistaken for a western Pacific species, L. schrencki (Brashnikov) and are characterized by having an unusual, deep, transverse groove on the dorsal surface of the second abdominal somite, short rostrums, and epipods on the first three pereopods. The third shrimp, L. acudactylus, has been found at depths of 150–170 m and appears closely related to L. grandimanus (Brashnikov) and L. balsii Hayashi, but lacks a comb of spines on the mesial margin of the third maxillipeds that is characteristic of those two species. Color photos showing the unique patterns of all three new species are provided.