Alpheus madhusoodanai sp. nov.: a new species of mangrove associated snapping shrimp of genus Alpheus Fabricius, 1798 (Decapoda: Caridea: Alpheidae) from southwest coast of India

Abstract The present account describes a new species of alpheid shrimp, Alpheus madhusoodanai sp. nov., belonging to the brevirostris group, collected from the Cochin estuary, the south west coast of India. This represents the first species of alpheid shrimps described from the estuary. The morphological and molecular characteristics of the new species are compared with those of its closely related congeners. The newly described species is separated from its morphological congener A. rapax , by its wider major chela and longer merus of the first cheliped. Molecular data also confirmed the delimitation of A. rapax with A. madhusoodanai sp. nov. Habitat and distribution details are also discussed, highlighting the potential for further taxonomic exploration in the Cochin estuary and the importance in uncovering its hidden biodiversity.