Does anyone have insight into what’s going on with this shrimp?
The first thing I thought was: “Eggs”, but upon reflection, I realised that every shrimp egg I’ve ever seen has been round, not oblong.
Also, the oblong things seem to be sticking out from the shrimp’s head as well as its abdominal area…again, not something generally associated with eggs.
But I’m at a loss as to what the oblong things might be if they’re not eggs.
Help?
Not sure what they are but am guessing that they’re some kind of parasite infestation. Reminds me a bit of the egg sacs parasitic barnacles that we see on some crabs… except that the ones I’ve seen are yellow rather than red
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/crustacea/othercrust/ciriipedia/thompsonia.htm
I was going to say it looks like a parasite too. Some parasites alter the behaviour of the host to increase transmission to the next stage of the life cycle. I have never seen this shrimp wandering about before so maybe the parasite is trying to get the shrimp eaten by a fish or something so the life cycle can continue. A great/terrifying book about how parasites rule the world is called Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer. It explains heaps of crazy behaviours that parasites make their host do to aid transmission.
definitely parasitic infestation. the oval sacs are the eggs. this barnacle parasite (as highlighted by Juanhui) resides within the tissue and bodily space of the host, emasculates the host by taking over all the unneccesary organs to keep the host alive. when its time to procreate, it will form these egg sacs and eventually burst, releasing the eggs. the poor host will then die off.
It looks like a species of snapping shrimp.
Thanks everyone! So weird, but so totally cool. Not for the shrimp of course.
Very weird and very cool.
“fascinating captain – its life but not as we know it”…..great find Tony. Now I have nightmares knowing I will be swimming into these waters with these parasites soon.
Oh not the mention I am off the prawns for life….
I don’t think it is Rhizocephala. That is not the typical pattern for infection. There is a centralized nucleus with root-like infection. It could be a type of parasitic copepod, they can lay strings of eggs after burrowing into the carapace. They go for the eyes in fish.
Kevin: Very interesting. So perhaps a different type of parasite, but a parasite nonetheless
Nope, Juanhui & Tan are right in that it’s a rhizocephalan. Check out this pic by Art Anker of Peltogasterella – http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_a/1951573717/
I knew Art would be interested & sent him an email. He promptly checked it out – Alpheus frontalis with a rhizocephalan, possibly Thompsonia sp.
That’s awesome Leslie. Thank you so much!