Most of this species' body is transparent, with small red chromatophore spots. The internal thoracic organs are opaque red or black. The organs of Pesta (not readily visible in this photo) are ventral to the dark thoracic organs. Note the tiny rostrum (the small red dorsal bump behind the eyes). The long second antennae trail out to the right of this photo. Swimming is almost exclusively by the pleopods. Photo by Dave Cowles For an .mpg video of this species swimming in a swim tunnel, click Here (8 megabytes). Note in the video (and in the image at the top of this page, which was taken from the video), that the animal turns downward when exposed to the light of the camera. This is because it is a vertical migrator.
Eusergestes similis can be distinguished from Sergia tenuiremis by the small, acute, upward-pointed rostrum and by the presence of a supraorbital and a hepatic spine. This photo is of a preserved individual.
The epimera of abdominal segment 2 does not overlap those of segments 1 and 3, showing this species is not a Caridean shrimp. Photo from a preserved specimen
Eusergestes similis, captured off Point Conception, CA May 1996. Photographed live swimming in a swim tunnel. Total length approximately 6 cm. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, May 1996)
