Purple Urchin Shrimp

Stegopontonia commensalis

Description:

Purple Urchin Shrimp - Stegopontonia commensalis is purple in colour with white bands and are only found among sea urchins. They can be difficult to spot, especially when they 'hugs' the sea urchin needles and also difficult to take close-up pictures of as have to be careful not to get too close and risk getting stung by the sea urchins.

Notes:

New Organism to Project Noah

Species ID Suggestions

4 Comments

AlbertKang 6 years ago

Thanks, @Polilla :)

AlbertKang 6 years ago

Thanks, @Daniele for another SOTD :)

Thanks too, @Leuba for your support :)

Leuba Ridgway 6 years ago

Congratulations Albert !

DanielePralong 6 years ago

Congratulations Albert, this rather special Purple Urchin Shrimp is our Spotting of the Day on Biodiversity Day!

"Today is International Day for Biodiversity, a day chosen by the UN to promote biodiversity issues. We mark it with this rather special Purple Urchin Shrimp (Stegopontonia commensalis) as our Spotting of the Day! The only representative of its genus, this tiny elongated shrimp (about 1 inch) is striated longitudinally in a way which imitates the spines of its urchin hosts. It lives in a commensal relationship with venomous sea urchins in the genera Diadema, Echinothrix et Astropyga. First time record on Project Noah for this species".

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