Length: 4.4-7.5mm. Body smooth. Antenna 1 approximately length of body; antenna 2 approximately as long as antenna 1 peduncle segments 1 + 2. Gnathopod 2 propodus triangular with 4 proximal grasping spines, grasping margin slightly serrate; dactylus not serrate. Gnathopod 2 propodus with 3 grasping spines, grasping margin with numerous small spines. Gills on pereonites 2 – 4, those on pereonite 2 smallest. Pereopods 3 + 4 six-segmented, propodus with 2 or 3 grasping spines. Pereopod 5, five-segmented, propodus without grasping spines.
Venezuela; Florida
In honor of Roland L. Wigley, who collected one of the paratypes.
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.
35-60m