PEREZ FARFANTE: SPERMATOPHORES OF AMERICAN WHITE SHRIMPS 



A complete spermatophore dislodged from a 

 female caught off Honduras was also examined. It 

 is deposited in the USNM, and was presented by 

 Eric J. Heald. 



Species Range 



Cuba to Guadeloupe, and along the continental 

 coast from Belize (British Honduras) to Laguna, 

 Santa Catarina. 



Penaeus {Litopenaeus) setiferus 



(Linnaeus 1767) 



Figures IC, D, 16-19 



Spermatophore 



The compound spermatophore consists of a 

 geminate body which bears a pair of anterolateral 

 wings, and is flanked posterolaterally by a pair of 

 flanges which broaden posteriorly and bear broad 

 flaps (Figure 16A, B). 



Anteriorly, the thick, opaque ventral wall of 

 each spermatophore is truncate and strongly 

 inclined dorsally (Figure 17A); posteriorly, it turns 

 abruptly dorsad, and merges indistinctly with the 



thick posterior portion of the lateral wall, which 

 bears a small, acute or blunt caudal projection. The 

 thin and translucent portion of the lateral wall is 

 bounded dorsolaterally by a rib that serves as a base 

 for the narrow, scalloped blade which extends 

 caudally along the lateral margin of the flange. 

 The flange is narrow and horizontal anteriorly, 

 becomes progressively broad posteriorly, and 

 turning mesially is deflected ventrally becoming 

 almost perpendicular to its anterior portion. 

 Laterally, the flange sustains a broad, ven- 

 tromesially directed firm flap, produced anteriorly 

 in a narrow, subrectangular projection; the flap is 

 strengthened by a subtriangular thickening, and 

 is continuous with a milky white, iridescent, resis- 

 tant membrane. An extremely sticky, glutinous 

 material lies against the flange and adheres to the 

 mesial surface of the flap. 



The thin, translucent dorsomesial wall, like that 

 in the spermatophore of P. schmitti, bulges 

 anteriorly beyond its attachment to the ventral 

 and lateral walls along an oblique fine rib extend- 

 ing from the mesial lapel to the posteroproximal 

 end of the wing (Figure 17B). The bulge, occupied 

 by the extremity of the sperm mass enclosed in the 

 sac, bears a triangular crest which abuts on the 



A 



Figure Vo.-Penaeus {IMopervaeut) setiferus (Linnaeus). X. Compound spermatophore attached to female, 932 mm 

 cl, 0.8 km off Long Beach, N.C. B, Lateral view of same specimen. 



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