Another Idiomysis crustacean???, This one from Lembeh.

[Quinn 5]

While purging through my assortment of photos from my recent Indo excursion this spring, I happened upon this itty bitty. Found by the keen eyes of NAD's guide, Aso, in Lembeh, I had thought it was a juvenile something or other.

Now after reading and viewing Jo Horrocks video post below, and Leslie's expert response, I think this perhaps is one of the same family??

Probably the smallest critter I ever tried to photograph, this has been heavily cropped.

 

Edited June 18, 2010 by Quinn

[Leslie 0]

I think so too. It has the same color banding as Jo's from the Red Sea but I've no idea if they are the same species. Only four have been described so far - one from Japan http://goinunder.exblog.jp/8422760/ one from Mozambique, one from India which has shown up in Australia, and one from the Red Sea.

[Jo Horrocks 5]

Yep, certainly looks very similar to me. Was it buzzing around like the one's in the video I took, or stationary?

 

Am hoping to go back to Nuweiba next year, so will try to get some clearer footage.....that is of course if I manage to find them!!!

[Leslie 0]

It's probably easiest to find them by looking for their hosts. Idiomysis tsurnamli - the Red Sea species - is a commensal on certain anemones & the upside down jellyfish Cassiopea. As they buzz they're feeding on organics in the mucus that these cnidarians are constantly producing & shedding. In one recent study 65% of the Cassiopea in a sand bed/seagrass meadow had them.

[Quinn 5]

It's probably easiest to find them by looking for their hosts. Idiomysis tsurnamli - the Red Sea species - is a commensal on certain anemones & the upside down jellyfish Cassiopea. As they buzz they're feeding on organics in the mucus that these cnidarians are constantly producing & shedding. In one recent study 65% of the Cassiopea in a sand bed/seagrass meadow had them.

 

 

Thanks for the confirmation Leslie, FWIW this one appeared to be by it's lonesome , without any others of the same ,nor anemone or jelly about. From what I can recall, at rather shallow 10 meters or so depth.

Hardly stationary Jo, this little critter refused to hold still , that, along with it's size, made photography a real challenge.