Australian waters
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.
Restricted so far to Australian waters: Paraproto condylata (Haswell, 1885); Paraproto gabrieli Stebbing, 1914; Paraproto spinosa (Haswell, 1885) and Paraproto tasmaniensis- close to Paraproto condylata.
Paraproto is a genus of marine amphipods in the family, Caprellidae, and was first described in 1903 by Paul Mayer.[1][2] The type species is Paraproto condylata.[1]
Species of this genus are found at depths of about 200 m in waters off New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Antarctica.[1]
Species listed as accepted by IRMNG:[3]
Paraproto is a genus of marine amphipods in the family, Caprellidae, and was first described in 1903 by Paul Mayer. The type species is Paraproto condylata.
Species of this genus are found at depths of about 200 m in waters off New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Antarctica.
