Caprella aino Utinomi 1943

Length: 10.5mm. Cephalon smooth; pereonite 2 with 1 pair postero-lateral small projections; pereonites 3 + 4 with ventro-lateral and postero-lateral small projections and 2 small projections at insertion of each gill; pereonite 4 also with 2 pairs posterior projections dorsally; pereonite 5 with 4 pairs small dorsal tubercles; pereonites 6 + 7 with a pair of dorsal tubercles. Antenna 1 longer than 1/2 body length; antenna 2 a little shorter than antenna 1 peduncle, with setae. Gnathopod 1 attached to posterior of pereonite 2; propodus with proximal grasping spine, distal long ‘tooth’ separated from triangular projection by a deep groove. Gills elongate. Pereopods 5 - 7 propodus with grasping spines.

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.

Caprella aino er en art i slekten Caprella innenfor spøkelseskreps-familien (orden Caprelloidea eller «spøkelsestanglopper») - en type tanglopper. Larvene er planktoniske. De er relativt små, med to store ot to små antenner. De lever bare i havet (saltvann), og er utbredt i farvannene ved Japan.