Description 

A small pale grey shrimp with darker brown markings. The markings are cross-shaped and resemble a type of ancient script. These are somewhat blurred over the carapace and clearly defined on the abdomen. 

The carapace is pale grey marked with darker brown diagonal patches on the side. Viewed from above it is mid-grey with diffuse speckles. 

The abdomen is pale grey with fine-speckled markings clustered into evenly spaced patches. The most lateral of these are condensed and form a noticeable line of differently shaped markings, resembling an ancient script, along the lateral aspect of the abdomen. 

The rostrum is translucent pale grey and the antennae are dull-grey. 

The tail is grey with fine brown edges on the scutes. 

The pincers are grey with a faint brown mottled pattern. 

The chelate second legs are almost translucent. 

The walking legs are grey-brown, almost translucent, with white joints. 

Identifying Features 

The dense ‘script’ on the pale side of the abdomen is distinctive. 

Similar Shrimps

The Longbody Shrimp has bolder markings and a much longer body. They are found in the same habitat. As yet we have only a small number of observations. 

The Red-Speckled Shrimp is a similar size but the markings are red and of a different pattern. They have a distinctive dark dorsal saddle. 

Nomenclature

Undescribed species, no records apart from ours from the Solomon Islands.