Caprella californicus Stimpson, 1857

“Skeleton Shrimp”

 

Taxonomy:

        Kingdom~       Animalia

        Phylum~          Arthropoda

        Subphylum~    Crustacea

        Class~             Malacostraca

        Order~             Amphipoda

        Family~           Caprellidae

        Genus~            Caprella

        Species~         californicus

 
 
 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Head and antenna 1 & 2                                       Gills and 2nd Gnathopod                                                Pereopods
 
 

 

 


Gills and Gnathopods 2
 

Head and antenna 1 & 2
 
Size: 3-6 cm

 

Habitat: Intertidal areas; clinging to living substrate such as sea grasses, kelp, sponges, hydroids and preferring bryozoans.

 

Range: Harbors and pilings: California to Washington. Found in Boston Harbor in Olympia, WA.

 

Life History: There are both male and female C. californicus, with the female providing care to the offspring. Females have a thoracic pouch in which the young develop; this is covered by large overlapping plates. The young are brooded in this pouch until hatching directly into juveniles. The offspring can return to the pouch for protection. Molting occurs through maturity, with the males being larger than females.

 

Life expectancy: No more than 6 months

 

Feeding habits: Recycle detritus and feed on diatoms and small invertebrates. Use 2nd gnathopods to hold and capture prey.

 

Predators: Shrimp and some fishes

 

Importance: They are a major food source for some economically important fish, such as sardines, and perch. Amphipods are sparse in heavily polluted harbors were they may serve as an environmental indicator of the area.

 

 

Sources:

Fish and Wildlife Service. Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest), Amphipods. January 1989. Biological Report 82(11.92)

Brusca & Brusca, (2003) Invertebrates 2nd Edition. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers, Sunderland, MA

 

Prepared By: Shannon Koch, Invertebrate Zoology and Evolution. May 2004.