Length: 6mm. Many thorny spines on all body surfaces. (E.g., head with two pairs of dorsal spines; pereonite 1 with a pair of dorsal spines; pereonite 2 with 3-4 centro-dorsal spines, 4 pairs of dorsal spines and several lateral spines; pereonite 3 with 3 dorsal spines, 5 pairs of dorsal spines and several lateral spines; pereonite 4 with 3-4 dorsal spines, 4 pairs of dorsal spines and several lateral spines; pereonite 5 with 2 dorsal spines, 3 pairs of dorsal spines and a few lateral spines; pereonites 6 + 7 each with 2 pairs of dorsal spines and a few lateral spines.) Antenna 1 shorter than ½ body length; antenna 2 slightly longer than antenna 1 peduncle. Gnathopod 2 attached to anterior of pereonite 2; propodus with 2 proximal grasping spines (distal being longer) and distal triangular projection, palm is setose. Gills round. Pereopods 5 - 7 propodus with pair of grasping spines.
Japan; Possjet Bay
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.
