11 replies to this topic

[christianloader]

Last year i saw these 2 shrimps at the dive site Bolong in Wori Bay, North Sulawesi. They were very small, about 1cm, and found at 5m on flat, open, white sand.
I think it's very similar to a Tiger Shrimp (Phyllognathia ceratophthalmus), especially the eyes and the main claws.
Does anyone have any better idea about what they are? I'd like to get in touch with a shrimp expert, if anyone can give me a name?

Thanks!
Christian

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[cor]

We found some of these guys during a wetpixel trip in indonesia a year or 2 ago. We thought they were in the same family as harlequin shrimp. We couldnt find it either, and emailed I think Leslie, who told us that it was a known shrimp. I cant remember the details, maybe Eric or Leslie remember.

Here is one of my shots from back then.

[Leslie]

It is a relative, Phyllognathia simplex. Cor & others have posted about it before. Eric even took video of one munching on a brittle star. Although reports of it are rare the animal is probably common. It's just so small & well camouflaged against the sand that very few people notice it. It was described from Sagami Bay, Japan & extends at least to Australia, PNG, & Indonesia. The second link will take you to the original scientific description & the third to a later paper that includes the color pattern.

http://wetpixel.com/...rt=#entry240481
http://decapoda.nhm....25499/25499.pdf
http://decapoda.nhm....14176/14176.pdf

[echeng]

Nice shots! Here is one eating a brittle star arm...

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[cor]

Mine also has a piece of brittle star in its arms Freshly cut off.

[Alex_Mustard]

He's a really cool little fellow!

Alex

[Leslie]

Yup. Like the harlequins these are specialized echinoderm predators that - as far as we know - only go after brittle stars.

[Conny3479]

Last year i saw these 2 shrimps at the dive site Bolong in Wori Bay, North Sulawesi. They were very small, about 1cm, and found at 5m on flat, open, white sand.
I think it's very similar to a Tiger Shrimp (Phyllognathia ceratophthalmus), especially the eyes and the main claws.
Does anyone have any better idea about what they are? I'd like to get in touch with a shrimp expert, if anyone can give me a name?

Thanks!
Christian

Did you see them by daytime or on a nightdive?

[christianloader]

Did you see them by daytime or on a nightdive?

Hi,
It was in the daytime, on an afternoon dive.

[christianloader]

Nice shots! Here is one eating a brittle star arm...

great shot Eric, i hope i can find another one of these soon here in north sulawesi.

[christianloader]

It is a relative, Phyllognathia simplex. Cor & others have posted about it before. Eric even took video of one munching on a brittle star. Although reports of it are rare the animal is probably common. It's just so small & well camouflaged against the sand that very few people notice it. It was described from Sagami Bay, Japan & extends at least to Australia, PNG, & Indonesia. The second link will take you to the original scientific description & the third to a later paper that includes the color pattern.

http://wetpixel.com/...rt=#entry240481
http://decapoda.nhm....25499/25499.pdf
http://decapoda.nhm....14176/14176.pdf

Hi Leslie,

Many thanks for your help, after months and months now i know what it is! :-) It's nice to have identified an unusual shrimp similar to the Harlequins & Tigers,

All the best,
Christian

[expatdiver]

This thread answers the a question about a small shrimp I found in Lembeh a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, none of my shots came out clean enough to warrant an id thread, but I know what I saw, and I'm pretty sure this little guy is it.