Length: 10-33 mm. Body covered in numerous granules, each bearing a sensory hiar; head having a pair of minute tubercles between antenna 1 and eye; pereonites 3 + 4 bear a forward-directed spine above insertion of each gill. Antenna 1 almost as long as body; antenna 2 whort, about 1/3 length of antenna 1 peduncle; with swimming setae. Gnathopod 2 attached to posterior end of pereonite 2; propodus with proximal grasping spine, distal ‘tooth’ and triangular projection (separated by a groove). Pereopods 5 - 7 with grasping spines. Gills elongate.
Japan
Caprellid, “Ghost” or “Skeleton” shrimps, so called for their skeletal appearance. Amphipod crustaceans, easily distinguished by the elongate stick-like body form and reduction of the abdominal appendages. Head is generally fused with pereonite 1. Pereopods on first 2 segments (pereonites) are most flexible and called gnathopods; gnathopods 2 being the largest, used in defense, feeding and substrate attachment. In many species pereopods 3 and 4 may also be reduced or absent. Gills on pereonites 3 + 4, rarely on pereonite 2. Pereopods 5 - 7 much smaller than 1 + 2, used for clinging to the substratum. In females, brood plates (öostegites) develop on pereonites 3 + 4. Much remains to be learnt about their biology, ecology and in many cases changing distributions.
16m
National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC: (NMNH) 9344
