Tiny annoying Lembeh wire coral shrimp

[scubamarli 5]

These are miniscule: 4 to 8mm max. There are two different species: one with humps, like Dasycaris zanzibarica, one without, like Pontonides uncigar. However, the eyes are really different and the spots are unusual. I am stumped. Then again, by the time I post here, I have all but given up on an i.d. Such is Indonesia. I call the humpless one Bigbutt shrimp.

Any ideas are welcome.

 

Cheers,

Marli

[scubamarli 5]

This is what Sammy de Graves has to say about them:

your first photo quite looks Dasycaris like, as it seems to have that extra large tooth on the carapace, but the colour pattern does not match any of the described species.

 

The rest are all Pontonides sp., all females (laterally extended pleura). We know this form exists, as occasionally photos crop up, but as far as I know none of us has seen a specimen yet. I think this may well be a new species, as all the other Pontonides living on seawhips are stripy. P.maldivensis has a similar colour patter, but lives on Dendrophyllia. Unlikely it would be same species living on wire coral.

 

As we now have a genus (Alcyonohippolyte) where the male and female are very different (one humped, one not humped, just flat). It could also be that photo 1 is actually the male of the second species. In which case, a new species for certain, as no Pontonides have that tooth (did not check the EP one, but I think it has same, no tooth).

 

I'm not sure that makes things any clearer, but it looks they are new species.

 

Cheers,

Marli

[JKrumsick 3]

Not sure what they are but great photos. I had a great time photographing these guys as well!

[AndreSmith 9]

They seem to be difficult to ID. Here is something similar from Tulamben which I never could get a positive ID on.

[derway 2]

Great shots Marli. Really fun!

[scubamarli 5]

Great shot, Andre; they look like the first one.

 

Cheers,

Marli

[secretsea18 0]

I shot this shrimp in Philippines late last month.... it looks very similar.

[scubamarli 5]

Looks like the first one, too. Andre's may be Pontonides ankeri.

 

Cheers,

Marli