A new genus of palaemonid shrimp (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) to accommodate Leander belindae Kemp, 1925, with a redescription of the species

A redescription of the little known shrimp Leander belindae Kemp, 1925 based on syntypical material as well as some previously unreported museum specimens is provided. In view of its aberrant morphology, a new genus, Rhopalaemon gen. nov., is erected. The new genus is most similar to Palaemon Weber, 1795, but can be easily distinguished from that genus, and all other palaemonine genera, by the following combination of characters: propodus of the ambulatory pereiopods distally expanded; branchiostegal tooth and groove present; basal crest on rostrum absent; appendix interna on the first pleopod of males absent; and mandibular palp present.