Crinoid shrimp
Scientific name : Periclimenes cf. amboinensis
This shrimp belongs to a group of many species, all commensal of crinoids, difficult to identify without a microscopic examination. We give some tips to give a name to some of the more important species, keeping into account that an identification based only on a photography cannot be sure.
P. amboinensis has often a colour pattern with a trasversal banding, matching the host bands, and fading horizontal stripes. Body elongated, thin and long claws, rostrum slightly expanded toward the end and with teeth on the upper and lower rims, eye stalks often lighter in colour. 2.5 cm.
Very easy to confound with anyone of the Periclimenes species living as commensals on crinoids. Compared with Periclimenses ceratophthalmus and Periclimenes cornutus (both described in this site) is identified by the cololur pattern with normally an horizontal banding. It is a common species in our area, with large colour variations (to match the host's colour). Follow few examples of this variability. We cannot exclude that, among the pictures, we can have other species, similar to P. amboinensis.
Associated organisms
Always associated with large, many arms, crinoids, like Oxycomanthus bennetti.
Habitat:
Reef external slope, Reef front
Distribution:
Western Pacific
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