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Image of feeble spiny-tailed shrimp
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Feeble Spiny Tailed Shrimp

Systellaspis debilis (A. Milne-Edwards 1881)

Look Alikes

provided by Invertebrates of the Salish Sea
How to Distinguish from Similar Species: Systellaspis braueri and S. cristata have dorsolateral rows of at least 20 spines on each side of the telson, plus have a sinuous lateral ridge which extends posteriorly on the carapace from the orbital region to nearly the posterior carapace margin.
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Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
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Dave Cowles
editor
Jonathan Cowles
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Invertebrates of the Salish Sea

Comprehensive Description

provided by Invertebrates of the Salish Sea
Biology/Natural History: This is a very common mesopelagic shrimp which vertically migrates daily. It may release a bioluminescent cloud when disturbed.
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Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
editor
Dave Cowles
editor
Jonathan Cowles
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Invertebrates of the Salish Sea

Habitat

provided by Invertebrates of the Salish Sea
Mesopelagic, especially below tropical to warm temperate waters
license
cc-by-nc-sa
copyright
Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
editor
Dave Cowles
editor
Jonathan Cowles
provider
Invertebrates of the Salish Sea

Distribution

provided by Invertebrates of the Salish Sea
Geographical Range: Worldwide in most tropical or warm-temperate seas: Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea. Along our coast it is found off California and Oregon.
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cc-by-nc-sa
copyright
Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
editor
Dave Cowles
editor
Jonathan Cowles
provider
Invertebrates of the Salish Sea

Habitat

provided by Invertebrates of the Salish Sea
Depth Range: 0-1500 m; mainly at 650-800 m in daytime and around 150 m at night.
license
cc-by-nc-sa
copyright
Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
editor
Dave Cowles
editor
Jonathan Cowles
provider
Invertebrates of the Salish Sea

Comprehensive Description

provided by Invertebrates of the Salish Sea
This is a true shrimp from the family Oplophoridae, which lives in deep midwater offshore. True shrimp such as these have the second abdominal epimera overlapping that of segment 1 and 2. Family Oplophoridae is almost entirely midwater, has exopodites on its pereopods, and pereopods 1 and 2 are longer and more stout than the others. Systellaspis have a well-developed rostrum, no horizontal carina on the carapace, and no dorsal ridge on the sixth abdominal segment. The telson ends in a sharp point, with spines on the sides. Their eyes are well pigmented, and their eggs are large and few. Systellaspis debilis has a long rostrum with 14 dorsal and 9 ventral teeth and a pointed tip. The exopods of its third maxilliped and of all pereopods are about the same length. The epipod on pereopod 4 is well-developed except for the vertical component. Pereopods 1 and 2 are chelate, 3-4 have simple dactyls, and the dactyl on pereopod 5 is paddle-like. The carapace is not carinate on the posterior half of the dorsal midline and has no sinuous lateral ridge extending posteriorly from the orbital region to nearly the posterior margin. The second abdominal segment has no posterior dorsal spine. The appendix masculina on the second pleopod of males is much longer than is the appendix interna. The third abdominal segment has a blunt dorsal carina which ends in a large posterior dorsal spine. The fourth and fifth abdominal segments have a posterior dorsal spine which has small spines lateral to it. The fifth abdominal segment has a spine on the posterior margin of the pleuron. The sixth abdominal segment is dorsally rounded and about 1 2/3 as long as the fifth. The telson has a shallow sulcus down the dorsal midline, a spiny endpiece flanked by a pair of long spines, plus a lateral row of 4-8 spines on each side. Living individuals are strong red or scarlet, with lighter red or orange on some appendages. Carapace length to 1.7 cm.
license
cc-by-nc-sa
copyright
Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
editor
Dave Cowles
editor
Jonathan Cowles
provider
Invertebrates of the Salish Sea

Depth range

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Pelagic or bathypelagic

Reference

Poupin, J. (2018). Les Crustacés décapodes des Petites Antilles: Avec de nouvelles observations pour Saint-Martin, la Guadeloupe et la Martinique. Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 264 p. (Patrimoines naturels ; 77).

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WoRMS Editorial Board
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[email]

Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Labrador Basin to Gulf of Mexico

Reference

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

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WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Kennedy, Mary [email]

Distribution

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Distribution includes South Africa & Indo-Pacific . Widely distributed in the Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific Oceans .

Reference

Crosnier, A. (1988). Oplophoridae (Crustacea Decapoda) récoltés de 1971 à 1982 par les navires françaises dans l'océan Indien occidental sud. Bulletin du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (4) section A, Zoologie, Biologie et Écologie animales. 9: 695-726.

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WoRMS Editorial Board
contributor
Edward Vanden Berghe [email]

Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Known from seamounts and knolls

Reference

Stocks, K. 2009. Seamounts Online: an online information system for seamount biology. Version 2009-1. World Wide Web electronic publication.

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cc-by-4.0
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WoRMS Editorial Board
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[email]