4.7-7mm. Body smooth. Antenna 1 longer than head to pereonite 2; antenna 2 longer than peduncle of antenna 1. Gnathopod 1 propodus slender, with single proximal grasping spine, serrate palm; dactylus toothed, grasping margin serrate. Gnathopod 2 basis long and slender; propodus with proximal grasping spine, notch at mid-length, smooth palm with setae; dactylus slender. Gills elliptical, anterior pair being larger. Pereopods 3 + 4 small, two-segmented. Pereopod 5 three-segmented. Pereopods 6 + 7 six-segmented, slender with long, slender propodus and dactylus, propodus without obvious palm or grasping spines. Penes medial
NW Atlantic
Caprellid, "Ghost" or "Skeleton" shrimps, so called for their skeletal appearance. Amphipod crustaceans, easily distinguished by the elongate stick-like body form and reduction of the abdominal appendages. Head is generally fused with pereonite 1. Pereopods on first 2 segments (pereonites) are most flexible and called gnathopods; gnathopods 2 being the largest, used in defense, feeding and substrate attachment. In many species pereopods 3 and 4 may also be reduced or absent. Gills on pereonites 3 + 4, rarely on pereonite 2. Pereopods 5 - 7 much smaller than 1 + 2, used for clinging to the substratum. In females, brood plates (öostegites) develop on pereonites 3 + 4. Much remains to be learnt about their biology, ecology and in many cases changing distributions.
9-700m
Differences from congeners most obvious in abdomen, gnathopods and pereopods 6 and 7.
