Tiger pistol shrimp

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Tiger pistol shrimp
Gobie and Shrimp.JPG
A. bellulus and Cryptocentrus cinctus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Caridea
Family: Alpheidae
Genus: Alpheus
Species:
A. bellulus
Binomial name
Alpheus bellulus
Miya & Miyake, 1969

The tiger pistol shrimp (Alpheus bellulus) belongs to the Alpheidae family, known commonly as snapping shrimp.

Contents

The Alpheidae family is incredibly diverse with over 500 unique species across the world. Alpheus bellulus shares a translocation and inversion event of trnE in its mitogenome with several other Alpheus species but there is not enough evidence to say this is a shared commonality among the entire genus. Phylogeny suggests Alpheus randalli and Alpheus bellulus belong to the same taxon within a monophyletic group. [1] Amino acid composition of the cytochrome b protein in A. bellulus was also similar to those of A.randali and A. lobidens, two other species of snapping shrimp. [2]

Description

The tiger pistol shrimp can grow to a size up to 4 to 5 cm, not including antennae. The body is stout and opaque. The background color of the body is yellowish white or plain yellow. The patterns drawn on the cephalothorax, abdomen and tail are irregular but symmetric, their coloration varies from light brown, brownish purple to brownish orange. The legs are banded with the same colors as the body and are covered with short bristles. The antennae are red. [3] The chelipeds are also banded, with the right being bigger and modified into a powerful weapon. By closing at extreme speed, the cheliped expels an air bubble at more than 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) towards the prey. This action is accompanied with a loud bang. [4]

Alpheus bellulus uses their oversized claws to produce powerful bubbles of air that stun its prey. Pressure builds up when the claw opens, and water enters a small chamber in the claw’s bend. The claw quickly clamps down and a small plunger pushes water out with high pressure, releasing a high-speed bubble. [5] This powerful sonic weapon creates a violent shock wave which can kill or knock out prey, which could be another shrimp or a small fish passing close to the tiger pistol shrimp. The sound emitted from the collapsing bubble can be up to 218 decibels, with a temperature of up to 4,800 degrees celsius, slightly cooler than the surface of the Sun.

Distribution

The tiger pistol shrimp can be found in tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific area. [6]

Habitat

The tiger pistol shrimp dwells in sandy, muddy and detrital substratum in shallow waters until 20m.

The structure of the burrows made by A. bellulus, studied through resin casting, show the three-dimensional shape, and provide insight on the construction habits of the species.

A.bellulus rely on burrows for shelter and protection. In the beginning stage of construction, there is rapid growth in size and dimensions of the burrow. During this phase, A. bellulus shows no interest in feeding or resting, placing total priority in burrow formation. This characteristic is similar throughout many alpheid shrimp species. A. bellulus is highly vulnerable to predation without a burrow, especially during the initial stages of burrow development, due to their limited vision and dependence on tactile cues from partner gobiid fish. [7]

Burrows are reinforced with small pieces of shell and coral along the sides, preventing collapse.  Sediment is constantly removed by A. bellulus to keep the internal burrow clean of settled deposits. Burrow production is also crucial to sediment cycling throughout the marine ecosystem, combining nutrients and debris along the seafloor. [7]

Feeding

The tiger pistol shrimp is a carnivore, preying primarily on small invertebrates. It may also eat detritus and macroalgae, and will scavenge carcasses near its burrow. If it has formed a symbiotic relationship with a goby, the goby may bring it food. In aquaria, it is sometimes blamed for the death of fish, but it is very unlikely that it possesses the strength or willingness to attack fish for food. It can be fed many common foods given to aquarium shrimps, such as flakes, pellets, and most frozen foods, and will generally take prepared foods with no training required.

Behaviour

The tiger pistol shrimp lives in burrows in symbiosis with certain goby species such as Cryptocentrus cinctus , Amblyeleotris guttata or Stonogobiops yasha . The shrimp digs and maintains the burrows which are the dens for both animals, while the goby acts as a watchman, warning of danger the shrimp cannot see due to poor eyesight. [8] Proven from a study, in an environment where goby fish and the tiger pistol shrimp are kept together, specifically in a tank, if there is no food source for the shrimp, the shrimp maintains its diet by consuming the feces of the goby fish from its burrow to survive. [9] Hence, another example of their partnership.

The symbiotic relationship between snapping shrimp Alpheus bellulus, typically found off the coast of Japan, and the gobiid fish Amblyeleotris japonica begin from early stages of development, leading to the common existence of adult pairs. A. bellulus is not found in areas where this partner fish is absent and refrains from exiting the burrow while the partner fish is not near the entrance. A. bellulus stays in contact with the partner gobiid fish through its antennae and retreats into its burrow after noticeable movement from the fish. The gobiid fish, in return, use the burrows as a sheltering and nesting site. Given that both species are consistently found in tandem, neither species existing in high numbers without the other, it strongly suggests that their relationship is indispensable for the survival of both species. [10]

Some burrows of A. bellulus were also found to be shared by a specific species of porcelain crab Enosteoides lobatus. In these observed burrows, E. lobatus stayed near the burrows entrance and followed warning signs from the gobiid fish, similar to the behavior of A. bellulus. E. lobatus are filter feeders, benefiting from abundant food sources outside the burrows due to higher rates of detritus flow through water movement. However, seeking refuge within the burrows offers them greater protection from predators. [11]

In aquaria

The tiger pistol shrimp is one of the most popular pistol shrimp in the marine aquarium hobby as it has a peaceful temperament, is inexpensive and does not require complicated care.

Original publication

Miya, Y. & S. Miyake, 1969. Description of Alpheus bellulus sp. nov. associated with gobies from Japan (Crustacea, Decapoda, Alpheidae).— Publications from the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory 16: 307–314. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gobiidae</span> Family of fishes

Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm (3.9 in) in length, and the family includes some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as Trimmatom nanus and Pandaka pygmaea, Trimmatom nanus are under 1 cm long when fully grown, then Pandaka pygmaea standard length are 9 mm (0.35 in), maximum known standard length are 11 mm (0.43 in). Some large gobies can reach over 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length, but that is exceptional. Generally, they are benthic or bottom-dwellers. Although few are important as food fish for humans, they are of great significance as prey species for other commercially important fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass and flatfish. Several gobiids are also of interest as aquarium fish, such as the dartfish of the genus Ptereleotris. Phylogenetic relationships of gobiids have been studied using molecular data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpheidae</span> Family of crustacean

Alpheidae is a family within the infraorder caridea characterized by having asymmetrical claws, the larger of which is typically capable of producing a loud snapping sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-ray goby</span> Species of fish

Stonogobiops nematodes, the Filament-finned prawn-goby, the Antenna goby, the high-fin goby, the red-banded goby, the high-fin red-banded goby, the striped goby, the barber-pole goby, or the black-ray Goby, is a species of marine goby native to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean from the Seychelles to the Philippines and Bali.

<i>Alpheus</i> (crustacean) Genus of crustaceans

Alpheus is a genus of snapping shrimp of the family Alpheidae. This genus contains in excess of 330 species, making this the most species-rich genus of shrimp. Like other snapping shrimp, the claws of Alpheus are asymmetrical, with one of the claws enlarged for making a popping noise. Some species in the genus enter into symbiotic relationships with gobiid fishes, and others associate with sea anemones.

<i>Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata</i> Species of fish

Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata is a species of goby found on reefs or in sea grass beds in the western Pacific from New Caledonia to the Great Barrier Reef and around New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It can be found at depths of from 3 to 26 metres. As with other Amblyeleotris species, it has a symbiotic relationship with alpheid shrimps, one or a pair of gobies sharing a burrow with a pair of shrimps.

Amblyeleotris marquesas is a species of goby only recorded from reefs around Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia in the central Pacific Ocean at depths of 20 to 25 metres. As with other species of their genus, this species has a symbiotic relationship with alpheid shrimps, in this case Alpheus randalli, one or a pair of gobies sharing a burrow with one or a pair of shrimps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steinitz' prawn goby</span> Species of fish

Amblyeleotris steinitzi, Steinitz' prawn goby or simply Steinitz' goby, is a species of small fish in the family Gobiidae. It lives in association with an alpheid shrimp and is found from the Red Sea through the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Squilla mantis</i> Species of crustacean

Squilla mantis is a species of mantis shrimp found in shallow coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean: it is also known as "pacchero" or "canocchia". Its abundance has led to it being the only commercially fished mantis shrimp in the Mediterranean.

<i>Ptereleotris hanae</i> Species of fish

Ptereleotris hanae, commonly known as the blue gudgeon dartfish or blue hana goby, is a species of dartfish native to the western Pacific Ocean. It is a reef inhabitant, being found at depths of from 3 to 50 metres, though usually no shallower than 6 metres (20 ft). It inhabits burrows made by alpheid shrimp, but unlike the Amblyeleotris gobies who normally associate with these shrimp, this species has no interactions with their shrimp hosts. This species can reach a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow prawn-goby</span> Species of fish

The yellow prawn-goby is a species of goby native to the Western Pacific, where it can be found at depths of from 1 to 25 metres in coastal bays and lagoons. This species is symbiotic with alpheid shrimps. They share burrows with these shrimp. The species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) SL. These fish vary greatly in appearance, ranging from brilliant yellow to gray and even brown forms or combinations of each coloring. This species is often kept in salt water aquariums. The yellow prawn-goby can be kept in aquariums as small as 20 gallons. In the marine hobby they are often partnered with tiger pistol shrimp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorgeous prawn goby</span> Species of fish

Amblyeleotris wheeleri, the Gorgeous prawn-goby, is a species of goby native to tropical reefs of the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean. It can be found at depths of from 5 to 40 metres though is usually does not occur deeper than 15 metres (49 ft). It is a commensal with alpheid shrimps, most often being found in association with Alpheus ochrostriatus. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) SL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

<i>Alpheus randalli</i> Species of crustacean

Alpheus randalli is a species of snapping shrimp in the family Alpheidae. It lives in the Marquesas Islands and parts of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles, in association with a goby of the genus Amblyeleotris. The shrimp is transparent or white with prominent red markings.

<i>Alpheus heterochaelis</i> Species of crustacean

Alpheus heterochaelis, the bigclaw snapping shrimp, is a snapper or pistol shrimp in the family Alpheidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

<i>Amblyeleotris periophthalma</i> Species of fish

Amblyeleotris periophthalma, the broad-banded shrimp goby or the periophthalma shrimp goby, is a marine benthic species of goby native to reef environments of the Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea included.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orangespotted goby</span> Species of fish

The orangespotted goby is a species of goby native to the tropical Atlantic coast from Bermuda and southern Florida through the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico south to the Caribbean coasts of Venezuela and Colombia, where it prefers silty bottoms around reefs. It is a commensal with an alpheid shrimp. This species grows to a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. This species is the only known member of its genus.

Alpheus tricolor is a crustacean belonging to the family of snapping shrimp. It was first isolated in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. It counts with a setose carapace, an acute rostrum, shallow adrostral furrows and a basicerite with a strong ventrolateral tooth. The lamella of its scaphocerite is not reduced, with an anterior margin that is concave. Its third maxilliped counts with an epipodial plate bearing thick setae, while its first chelipeds are found with their merus bearing a strong disto-mesial tooth; its third pereiopod has an armed ischium, with a simple and conical dactylus. Its telson is broad, distally tapering, with 2 pairs of dorsal spines. The species is named after its characteristic colour pattern, including white, red and orange.

<i>Alpheus digitalis</i> Species of shrimp

Alpheus digitalis is a species of pistol shrimp in the family Alpheidae. The species was first discovered after a taxonomic study of a snapping shrimp from the genus Alpheus from Japan and the Gulf of Thailand, of which, it was found that two species was confounded under A.digitalis, which was originally described based on a single specimen possessing abnormal chelipeds.

<i>Alpheus armatus</i> Species of crustacean

Alpheus armatus is a species of snapping shrimp in the family Alpheidae, found in shallow water in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It lives in association with a sea anemone such as Bartholomea annulata, clearing out sand from the cracks and crevices in which the sea anemone often lives.

<i>Metabetaeus lohena</i> Species of alpheid shrimp

Metabetaeus lohena, also known as the alpha snapping shrimp or anchialine snapping shrimp, is a species of alpheid shrimp native to Hawaii and Easter Island.

<i>Alpheus macrocheles</i> Species of crustacean

Alpheus macrocheles, also known as the orange European snapping prawn, is a species of snapping shrimp within the family Alpheidae.

References

  1. Wang, Qi; Wang, Ziqian; Tang, Dan; Xu, Xinyi; Tao, Yitao; Ji, Chenyao; Wang, Zhengfei (January 2020). "Characterization and comparison of the mitochondrial genomes from two Alpheidae species and insights into the phylogeny of Caridea". Genomics. 112 (1): 65–70. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.08.013 .
  2. Thangaraj, Muthusamy (2022-03-14). "Phylogenetic assessment and in silico characterization of cytochrome b protein of three alpheid shrimps". Notulae Scientia Biologicae. 14 (1): 11202–11202. doi: 10.15835/nsb14111202 . ISSN   2067-3264.
  3. 1 2 DESCRIPTION OF ALPHEUS BELLULUS SP. NOV. ASSOCIATED WITH GOBIES FROM JAPAN (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA, ALPHEIDAE)" Miya, Yasuhiko và Miyake, Sadayoshi. PUBLICATIONS OF THE SETO MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 31/1/1969 doi : 10.5134/175556
  4. "The Real Power of the Pistol Shrimp". Ocean Conservancy. 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  5. Hess, David; Brücker, Christoph; Hegner, Franziska; Balmert, Alexander; Bleckmann, Horst (2013-11-14). "Vortex Formation with a Snapping Shrimp Claw". PLOS ONE. 8 (11): e77120. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077120 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   3828329 . PMID   24244273.
  6. SOUS LES MERS : Alpheus bellulus - crevette pistolet tigre
  7. 1 2 Umehara, Miyu; Seike, Koji; Furuyama, Seishiro (2022-08-29). "Repeated computed tomography scanning reveals morphological development of burrows produced by the tiger pistol shrimp Alpheus bellulus". PLOS ONE. 17 (8): e0273055. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273055 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   9423611 . PMID   36037178.
  8. Vilcinskas, Andreas.La vie sous-marine des tropiques. Vigot,2002. ISBN   2711415252
  9. Kohda, M., Yamanouchi, H., Hirata, T. et al. A novel aspect of goby–shrimp symbiosis: gobies provide droppings in their burrows as vital food for their partner shrimps. Mar Biol 164, 22 (2017).
  10. Yanagisawa, Yasunobu (1984-03-31). "Studies on the Interspecific Relationship Between Gobiid Fish and Snapping Shrimp Ii. Life History and Pair Formation of Snapping Shrimp Alpheus Bellulus". Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory. 29 (1–3): 93–116. doi:10.5134/176084. ISSN   0037-2870.
  11. Werding, Bernd; Christensen, Bent; Hiller, Alexandra (2016-12-01). "Three way symbiosis between a goby, a shrimp, and a crab". Marine Biodiversity. 46 (4): 897–900. doi:10.1007/s12526-016-0453-x. ISSN   1867-1624.