Description

An unusually stocky shrimp that blends in well with the substrate. They are typically dusty and live in a silty environment. These details of the pattern are only seen on freshly moulted individuals.

Carapace: The carapace is pale grey with a pattern of dark spots and blotches. There is a transverse black band just behind the eyes. This, together with a curved band further back, encloses a pale dorsum area, usually with a dark spot in the centre. The remainder of the carapace is mottled grey with another pale transverse band further back. 

The lateral aspect of the carapace is grey with darker markings and extensions of the dorsal markings making broken diagonal bands in the upper half. 

The abdominal segments are pale grey. The dorsum of each segment is marked with a fine dark grey streak centrally and two randomly shaped dark grey patches laterally. There may be white bars on segments 1, 2 and 4. 

The side view of the abdomen has a pattern of dark small spots and blotches. A line of bushy setae runs laterally from the carapace to the tail. This is more visible from some angles than others.

The rostrum is grey with dark grey speckling. The antennae and antennules are grey.

The pincers are pale grey with three indistinct dark bands. The two pincers are very different sizes. The second legs are grey with white joints. The walking legs are pale grey with distinct dark bands on either side of the white joints. The appendages may have setae, becoming denser distally. 

The tail fan has dark grey scutes with pale centres, usually obscured by dense setae

Identifying Features 

The stocky shape, usually “dusty” carapace, dark eye band and rows of setae on the abdomen are distinctive features of this shrimp. 

Similar Shrimps

The Tasselled Shrimp has a plain dorsum to the carapace. The lateral aspect of the abdomen has tassels in both species, but the markings are distinctive in the Tasselled Shrimp. They occupy different habitats. 

The Chocolate Chip Shrimp is similar but smaller, not as stocky and has a distinctively spotted or speckled pattern. 

The Longbody Shrimp is much smaller and is readily separated by its distinctive build and markings. 

Nomenclature

Undescribed species, no records found apart from ours from Australia.