WHATSTHATFISH
Crustaceans

Red Snapping Shrimp

Alpheus armatus

Also known as: Alpheid Shrimp, Brown Pistol Shrimp, Brown Snapping Shrimp, Caribbean Pistol Shrimp, Caribbean Scarlet Shrimp, Commensal Shrimp, Curly-Que Pistol Shrimp, Pistol Shrimp, Red Pistol Shrimp, Snapping Shrimp

Adult
@JolineCuracao · Curaçao - Pirate Bay, Curaçao · August 20201 / 2
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Overview

Found living and hiding, with their host corkscrew anemone - Bartholomea annulata, over shallow, coral reefs.
They feed nocturnally on tiny invertebrates and zooplankton.

This shrimp is difficult to distinguish underwater between Alpheus immoculatus, Alpheus polystictus, Alpheus roquensis so this is just a tentative ID!

Snapping Shrimps usually share their holes with various Gobies. While the shrimps dig out their holes the gobies stand guard, as the shrimps vision is poor they usually keep one antennae in contact with their goby partner.
Snapping Shrimps have a large claw, which they are able to snap, giving a load cracking noise and at the same time this produces a large jet of water, used in defence to either deter or to knock out their prey.

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How to identify

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found living and hiding, with their host corkscrew anemone - Bartholomea annulata, over shallow, coral reefs.

04

Adult photos 2

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumArthropoda
    3. classMalacostraca
    4. orderDecapoda
    5. familyAlpheidae
    6. genusAlpheus
    7. speciesAlpheus armatus Rathbun, 1901

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Decapoda