7 replies to this topic

[scubamarli]

This commensal shrimp was found in shallow water off the front of our hotel in Grenada. It could be a Caribbean or Atlantic species, but noone that knows caribbean species has seen it. Rather than living on anemones, this one lives on upside down jellyfish: Cassiopea frondosa.

Cheers,
Marli

[jugglematt]

hi marli
any clearer shots avail?
matt

[scubamarli]

I'll send in some others when I get back to work and the scanner...I shoot slides. It's pretty tiny, this was shot 1:1. It's not a Periclemenes rathbunae, as has been previously suggested. They were also present in the area, and haven't got the red spots.
Marli

[Art]

Hi !

I will check the literature to see if there any (obligate or occasional/facultative) associations between Periclimenes spp. and upside down jellies (Cassiopeia I guess ?), but it's true, it will be easier with a clearer picture

was this species ALWAYS associated with the jelly fish ? or just once ?

do you have a shot of P. rathbunae ? Debelius, 2000, p. 28 published 3 pictures of P. rathbunae, including a shrimp with red-spotted legs, and noted that the colour is determined by the age and by the host (which is possible); anyway, the general pattern of P. rathbunae seems to be slightly different

cheers
Art

[Art]

hi again,

the general pattern of your Periclimenes is much like that of P. yucatanicus, except that the legs are red-spotted and not blue-spotted, maybe a colour variant ? or a cryptic species very close to P. yucatanicus ?

anyway, Debelius, 2000 mentioned that P. yucatanicus is indeed occasionally associated with Cassiopeia xamachana (obviously close to or even identical with C. frondosa)

hope this helps

Art

[scubamarli]

Here are some other shots of this mystery shrimp. It was always on Cassiopeia frondosa, although there were Cassiopeia xamachana present, there were no shrimp on them. It's eyes were quite striking as they were almost colourless. There are very fine white dots over the whole body, and the pattern found on P. rathbunae was not present. If some scientist wants to describe and name it after me, I'll tell you where to find it! Hmmm, Periclimenes marli, has a nice ring to it

Cheers,
Marli

[scubamarli]

Here's one more photo of the shrimp from Grenada.
Marli

[Art]

Marli

according to my collague in Texas this colour pattern (and many others) occurs in P. yucatanicus
however, my colleague has a very broad species concept (sometimes lumping everything under one species) and it would be interesting to see if it is not a cryptic species close to P. yucatanicus

can't tell more without specimens

cheers

Art B)