Aciconula Mayer 1903

Flagellum of antenna 2 two-segmented; pereopods 3 + 4 two-segmented, pereopod 5 six-segmented, long, soft and flexible (abnormal for caprellids); gills on pereonites 3 + 4; mandibular palp 3-segmented; abdominal appendages of females with a pair of simple lobes.

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.