Pretty snapping shrimp

Scientific name : Alpheus bellulus

White and brown with a reticulated colour pattern. Different colour forms exist, with one of the two colours prevailing. Legs and claws are white and brown banded, on the larger claw a broad purple or brown band is very obvious. 4 cm. A. bellulus belongs to the A. brevirostris species complex, including Alpheus randalli, Alpheus ochrostriatus, Alpheus djeddensis, Alpheus rubromaculatus, Alpheus sp. (species included in this website). All species are quite similar, the reticulated colour pattern and the large dark bands on the claws are diagnostic characters.

Associated organisms
This species lives in symbiosis with few goby species. The shrimp, almost blind, digs a large burrow and hosts the goby. In change the fish alerts it of potential predators approaching.
A. bellulus is associated with the goby genera Amblyeleotris, Cryptocentrus and Ctenogobiops.