Snapping shrimp - Alpheus sp.

Living under a rock, a large clear, gelatinous colonial tunicate was home to a pair of rarely seen (or noticed) Alpheus shrimp, the largest of which was 15mm. Tunicates are simple, water filtering animals and in this case provided the shrimp with a protective habitat. We watched as the shrimp poked their heads and claws out of the tunicate to rummage for food particles just beyond. The Tunicate colony was around 5 inches in length.

1 August 2016

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