Please help ID this Pistol Shrimp.. *PICSS*

[Steeltowndubber]

Hello,

I received 5 of these guys for free from a LFS that was fragging up some Zoo's when I was visiting. They were inside the rock that was being fragged.

Could you please help me ID them. Thanks. Here are the pics.

And here is a FTS of the 2 gal pico that they are in.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[LeslieH]

To id pistols from their color patterns you need good photographs from the side & from above, plus know where they came from. There are many species from the Indo-Pacific which are virtually identical to other species from the Atlantic.

 

[Steeltowndubber]

Thanks Leslie - I guess I'm out of luck as I have no way of knowing where they originated from.

Rich

 

[kmk2307]

If there were many in one rock, it may be that this is one of the eusocial species. How big are they?

Kevin

 

[LeslieH]

Rich - not completely out of luck. If the coloration is distinctive enough we might be able to narrow it down to a couple of species. If you can get good images of the side & hopefully the top as well (see this page for examples http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/bvi-surv/shri-g03.htm) I can send them to my friend Art who's a specialist on the family.

Kevin - All of the known eusocial shrimp species live in sponges and tend to be very small & colorless. This isn't one of them, sorry.

 

[hypermikie]

Rich,

I have a pistol that is almost identical in coloration and looks. I will see if I can get any pics to maybe help.

Mine is quite shy and does not venture outside of burrow except when I make him angry... I will see if I can get out my angry feeding stick!

 

[Steeltowndubber]

Thank you to everyone that is trying to assist with this ID...

WOuld this pic be of any help? This was taken on the day that I got them, before they were introduced to the tank. The brownish stripes have lightened up a bit since then.

These guys are very shy, which is making it very difficult to get more pics...

 

[Steeltowndubber]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7377487#post7377487 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
Rich - not completely out of luck. If the coloration is distinctive enough we might be able to narrow it down to a couple of species. If you can get good images of the side & hopefully the top as well (see this page for examples http://www.nhm.org/guana/bvi-invt/bvi-surv/shri-g03.htm) I can send them to my friend Art who's a specialist on the family.

Kevin - All of the known eusocial shrimp species live in sponges and tend to be very small & colorless. This isn't one of them, sorry.

Lelsie, they look very similar to this one

 

[kmk2307]

Leslie, good to know about the eusocial spp. Thanks.

Steeltowndubber, That looks like a good match to my untrained eye. Nice sipunculan worm too.

Kevin

 

[LeslieH]

That really is a good match. If they are the same then your critter is Alpheus bahamensis from the Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico geographic region.

 

[Steeltowndubber]

Kevin and Leslie, thank you both for your help, it is greatly appreciated!

I just did a google search for that species of shrimp but was unable to find just a basic description of this shrimp and whether or not it would be suitable to pair up with a goby. I can only find its taxonomic decription.

 

[hypermikie]

Steel,

Mine which is very similar (I would hate to say the exact same), leaves in peace with my Steintz Prawn Goby.

While they are not right on top of each other like some Pistol/Goby pairs, they do share burrows and the pistol does not snap at my goby as he will my other fish (i.e. Green Clown Goby) who might sit by his MANY burrow entrances.

 

[Steeltowndubber]

Leslie, KMK - Thank you both for your assistance!

Hyper - Good to know, thanks!

 

[dragonladylea]

Leslie - can you or your freind id this one? Both pistol claws do "fire" and I have never been able to find anything on this Pistol. Would love to know what he is!

 

[LeslieH]

I'll send him the pictures. They're pretty blurry so don't get your hopes up too high!

 

[dragonladylea]

Forgot to mention - Dont know why it looks red in the pic its really a pinkish-purple color.