ABSTRACT. – We investigated the heterosexual pairing of three coexistent snapping shrimps, Alpheus angulosus, A. buckupi and A. carlae, addressing the occurrence of size-assortative pairing and frequency of breeding vs. non-breeding paired females. Additionally, we checked the existence of sexual dimorphism and handedness in the chelae of the first pair of pereopods. Paired individuals were collected in the intertidal, between May 2012 and March 2013, in two sites along the coast of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. In total, 136 heterosexual pairs were obtained: 22 pairs of A. angulosus, 34 of A. buckupi and 80 of A. carlae. All species were of similar size. The CL ranged from 4.11 to 8.19 mm in A. angulosus, 4.24 to 11.76 mm in A. buckupi, and 4.28 to 9.78 mm in A. carlae. The carapace length did not differ significantly between males and females and was highly correlated between the partners (r > 0.9), indicating the occurrence of size-assortative pairing. However, males had larger chelae than females. The results showed no one-sided handedness in the position of the major chela of the first pair of pereopods, in all studied species. The size-assortative pairing between males and females, the presence of males paired with ovigerous and non-ovigerous females, and the occurrence of paired ovigerous females bearing embryos at different developmental stages suggest that A. angulosus, A. buckupi, and A. carlae are monogamous. Finally, an updated list of alpheid shrimps whose mating system has been previously investigated is provided.