ShrimpGoby and Alpheus Shrimp - Malapascua, Philippines

Probably about as close as you are going to get without a remote shutter release...

Notice the shrimp is nearly blind so he always keeps contact with the shrimpgoby so he can feel the warning - normally with an antenna.

F19, 1/90, 105mm lens, ASA100

Enjoy,

M

Hi there !

that's a beautiful shot !

it's Alpheus aff. djiboutensis and Ctenogobiops sp. maybe C. pomastictus

where is the photo from ? I amass data on goby-shrimp partner specificity and distribution of these associations

can I get it in a higher resolution to see some morphological features of the shrimp ? :wink:

the shrimp is not completely blind - although it does not have the typical black pigment in the cornea

nobody really studied how well they see, maybe it can even form low resolution images ? but obviously it does not see very well ! that's why it needs the goby

unlike the eyes in other shrimps, the eyes of these alpheids are completely covered by the so-called ORBITAL HOODS, they are basically speaking under the carapace, but the areas just above the eyes are transparent - so the shrimps can see .. at least detect the light direction and shadows

there is a complex communication system between the goby and the shrimp, mainly via the antennal flagella of the shrimp, with several types of warning signals, safety signals, etc.

cheers

A

Art,

Send me an email address and I will send you a more detailed image of the shrimp.

There were at least 40-50 pair living on the dive site - it was "Lighthouse Reef" in Malapascua in the Philippines.

M

Hi Alex

thanks in advance, you can use this email:

artour_a@yahoo.com

have a great day !

Art

PS a guy in Fort Pierce told me that there are plenty of "red snapping shrimps" associated with the mushroom coral Ricordia in the Florida Keys - have you ever observed these ?