Family STENOPODIDAE Claus, 1872

Museums

Regional Maps

• Stenopinae Claus, C.F.W. 1872. Grundzüge der Zoologie. Marburg und Leipzig : Elwert. [500].

Introduction

Stenopodids are typically small, spiny, benthic shrimps, most commonly found living in pairs on reefs. The beautiful and conspicuous Banded Coral Shrimp, Stenopus hispidus (Olivier), is perhaps the best known of the group, and without doubt the most photographed of all tropical marine shrimps. Stenopus hispidus is also well documented as a 'fish cleaner', a habit that it shares with at least some other Stenopus species although these are generally rarer and less well studied. The most recent paper dealing with Australian species is that of Goy (1992). Holthuis (1993) provided a key to genera.

Diagnosis

Stenopodidea with body compressed; propodus of second maxilliped with cristate ventral margin, often with one or more acute hooked proximal spines; third maxilliped always with a distinct exopod; telson long, narrow, lanceolate, sub-triangular, ending in two strong spines, sometimes with a median spinule in between; endopod of uropod generally with two longitudinal dorsal ridges. One to three chelate appendages, cutting edges of chelae with series of peg-like teeth separated by chitinous lamellae distally; chela of third pereiopod long and slender. Branchial formula always composed of 19 branchial exites. (J.W. Goy in. litt.)

General References

Goy, J.W. 1992. A new species of Stenopus from Australia, with a redescription of Stenopus cyanoscelis (Crustacea: Decapoda: Stenopodidea). Journal of Natural History 26: 79-102

Holthuis, L.B. 1993. The Recent Genera of the Caridean and Stenopodidean Shrimps (Crustacea, Decapoda). Alblasserdam : Ridderprint Offsetdrukkerij B.V. 328 pp.

History of changes