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FAQs about Harlequin Shrimps Identification
Related FAQs: Gnathophylliids 1, Gnathophylliids
2, & FAQs on: Gnathophylliid Behavior,
Gnathophylliid Compatibility,
Gnathophylliid Selection,
Gnathophylliid Systems,
Gnathophylliid Feeding,
Gnathophylliid Disease,
Gnathophylliid Reproduction, &
Marine Shrimps 1,
Marine Shrimps 3, Shrimp
Identification, Shrimp Selection,
Shrimp Behavior, Shrimp
Compatibility, Shrimp Systems,
Shrimp Feeding, Shrimp
Reproduction, Shrimp Disease,
Cleaner Shrimp,
Banded Coral Shrimp, Dancing
Shrimp, Harlequin Shrimp,
Pistol Shrimp, Saron Shrimp,
Mantis Shrimp,
Anemone Eating Shrimp, Crustacean
Identification, Crustacean Selection,
Crustacean Behavior, Crustacean
Compatibility, Crustacean Systems,
Crustacean Feeding, Crustacean
Disease, Crustacean Reproduction,
Related Articles: Harlequin Shrimp,
Shrimp, A Few
Common Shrimps for the Marine Aquarium by James W. Fatherree, | 
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- Identifying the Hymenocera Shrimps -
Hi,
How are the various
species of harlequin shrimps identified? <Well... to my knowledge, there
are only two species: H. elegans and H. picta. Telling them apart is
reasonably easy as H. elegans almost always has some blue in its colored
spots, and sometimes the spots are entirely blue. Spots on H. picta are
typically a pink/salmon color with no blue at all.> Someone has recently
discovered some here in South Africa and is trying to determine which of
the harlequin shrimp species it is. Any ideas? <Try the colors first.>
Many thanks,
James.
<Cheers, J -- >
Shrimp ID help please
– 06/29/08
Hello WWM crew. Attached is a picture of a shrimp that I would like
some help verifying its ID, please. This shrimp was found by a
friend of mine while diving in Panama City, FL (northern Gulf of
Mexico). She found it when she picked up a long spine sea urchin to
show to a student (she is a dive instructor). She came to me and to
a biology teacher for help in identification.
The biology
teacher thought it to possibly be in the Periclimenes family or
possibly the Gnathophyllum family.
<The latter... though at first
I too thought it was a Palaemonid... faulty memory... more so all
the time>
I did a lot of Google work and also searched your site
but found little info.
Based on a few difficult to see photos, I
believe it is Gnathophyllum elegans. This seems supported (at least
down to the Gnathophyllum family) by the fact that it was found on
the bottom of an urchin, and Julian Sprung's book "Invertebrates: A
Quick Reference Guide" reports that Gnathophyllum may feed on the
feet of urchins and sea stars.
<Mmm, nah! Must>
The best
photos I could find with the full scientific name came from not what
I would consider highly reliable sources and most of them were not
written in English, but they were the closest matches I could find
and did indicate the scientific name of Gnathophyllum elegans.
Any help you could give towards a definite ID would be greatly
appreciated. Also, what are your opinions as to their aquarium
suitability (given that it would almost certainly require a species
only biotype). I realize their natural diet would be difficult to
replicate and not desirable to replicate in my opinion. Mr. Sprung
recommends feeding finely chopped meaty foods and even flake foods;
<No... like most of its family, this animal feeds on the tube feet
of certain echinoderms found in its range. An interesting remark...
it is recorded as a facultative cleaner, removing parasites from
fishes, when young>
however, I think he is somewhat overly
optimistic on some animals' aquarium suitability.
Thanks for all
your help (past, present and future!).
Sincerely,
Rob Watson
<Am almost sure this is Gnathophyllum panamense... found from the
lower Sea of Cortez in Mexico's Baja to Ecuador... Bob Fenner> |
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