Lenght: 4-4.7mm. Body smooth except for 1 pair ventral spines between gnathopods 2; pereonites 2 - 6 have a hexagonal outline when viewed dorsally. Antenna 1 about 2/3 body length. Antenna 2 about as long as antenna 1 peduncle, flagellum two-segmented, swimming setae absent. Gnathopod 1 propodus with large proximal knob bearing many minute projections and one small grasping spine, tip of dactylus appears to have anterior claw and posterior marginal lobe; grasping margin of propodus and dactylus not serrate. Gnathopod 2 attached anteriorly on pereonite 2; propodus large, palm with proximal projection separated from distal bilobed projection by a notch. Gills elongate. Pereopods 3 and 4 one-segmented, minute. Pereopods 5 - 7 propodus bearing several proximal knobs, each with a spine; dactylus with a few strong serration just past the centre of its grasping edge.
Tropical and temperate waters of the world oceans. Western Australia; West coast North America; Texas; China
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.
15-180m. Reef locations, Sargassum sp., plankton tows and dead corals; algae, sponges, tunicates, algal turf, dead corals, small boulders
