Length: 8.8-13mm. Body normally smooth; may be paired or single head spine, single posterior spine on pereonite 1, paired spines in the middle and a single spine posteriorly on pereonite 2. Pereonite 5 comparatively long, particularly in female. Gnathopod 1 propodus slender, triangular, with one pair of proximal grasping spines; not very setose; grasping margin of propodus and dactylus serrate. Gnathopod 2 propodus slightly setose in female, medial surface strongly setose in female, medial surface strongly setose in male; palm with proximal projection bearing grasping spine, and median and distal projections separated by a more or less deep cleft; dactylus of male setose, heavy. Gills small, elliptical. Pereopods 5 - 7 propodus with proximal pair of long slender grasping spines.
Western Norway; Denmark; Sweden; Iceland; Alaska
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.
