Northwest Dive Club

Hello,

I'm looking for help with a couple IDs. The first what seems to be a variation of a skeleton shrimp. This critter was tiny, belle is one photo next to a much stick, which is not very big in diameter. I tried to get different angles, but it was moving around pretty swiftly too.

The second floated by me and I thought it was a tiny stubby squid due to the color. However, It was so small, I could not tell. I only got (3) shots, but not sure what it is.

























And for good measure, here is a Opossum Shrimp. I've never been able to capture one of these before :-)

WOW on the first critter !
As for the second one, it could be a slug, Diomedes' Aglaja, I found one floating by too...

I looked on the internet, your first critter might be Podocerus cristatus Amphipod
https://www.reeflex.net/tiere/12271_Pod ... status.htm

Wow! Cool finds, Jesse!

Jan, thanks. You may be right. I think you are correct on the slug. That’s what is was thinking too.

The first one really looked like a skeleton shrimp. It has the two claws and was “standing up” like a skeleton shrimp.


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Maybe Greg can help out on that shrimp. Great shots !

Thread has officially been high jacked. hahaha

Greg- Can you help with the ID, I think Jan is correct that it is an isopod. The front claws had me wondering though. If you want high-res pics let me know and I can send them.


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It's an amphipod- on page 219 of one of my books, which I can't name here due to the 'no advertising' rule.
It has generally been referred to as Podocerus cristatus, but it is not that species (from New Zealand) and work is currently underway to determine if the ones on our coast are a complex of species or just one that is highly variable in coloration.

Greg Jensen wrote:It's an amphipod- on page 219 of one of my books, which I can't name here due to the 'no advertising' rule.
It has generally been referred to as Podocerus cristatus, but it is not that species (from New Zealand) and work is currently underway to determine if the ones on our coast are a complex of species or just one that is highly variable in coloration.

Greg- you’re the man! Thank you very much. It sure was cool, I had never seen one before. Well, maybe I have, but never noticed before. It was bright and stopped me in my tracks Do you know what depths they are typically seen at?


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The ones I've seen have always been shallow (15-30 ft). Supposedly have been found as deep as 300+ ft but with the uncertainty of the i.d. it's hard to say if it is the same beast. They come in some amazing colors- one looks just like the Spanish shawl nudibranch. It's been suggested that they are nudibranch mimics since fish leave nudies alone.

Very cool Greg. Thanks for the additional details.


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I found one of these little amphipods yesterday at Skyline in 85 fsw. It had the same coloration as the photos above. It was very small and hard to see, but I managed to get a couple almost in focus pictures before I got tired of fighting the moving water. When I reviewed the photos zoomed in on my camera last night it was actually guarding a little nursery. There were a bunch of even tinier fleas swarming around, although they were just past the limit of my camera setup for a clear photo, and I’m not sure even with a magnifying glass I would have still been able to visually see them myself. Pretty fascinating. I’ll post a photo later when I get it onto my computer.

Very cool! I found a neon sea flea in that color variation at Point Hudson about a month ago as well! Wouldn't probably have noticed it had I not seen Jesse's photo first!

Look at the little babies! Wish I had spent more time trying to get a better shot, but hindsight is 20/20.

Wow, so cool Ross!!!

This is AMAZING Ross!!!!!! Wow sooooooo many cute babies!!! You hit the jackpot!!!!
I want to go see them with you!!!