Length: 4-5.5 mm. Head with acute anteriorly directed dorsal spine; pereonites 3 + 4 with antero-lateral projections. Antenna 1 a little shorter than half of body length; antenna 2 a little shorter than antenna 1 peduncle. Gnathopod 2 attached to posterior end of pereonite 2; propodus with wide projection on median of palm which bears 2 spines and a ‘tooth’, distal palm with a triangular projection.
Korea and Tsugaru Straits; 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.
20-45 m
