APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.

Only adult males should be used for purpose of morphological identification and validation.

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- dorsal view male 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- lateral view male 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- lateral view head male 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- gnathopod 2 male 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- gnathopod 2 male 2

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- gnathopod 1 male 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- in sample container 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- dorsal view female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- lateral view female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- lateral view head female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- gnathopod 2 female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- brood pouch female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- gill female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- posterior view pereopods 5 and 6 female 1

Mauritian skeleton shrimp
Caprella scaura
- female caprellid with 1.0mm division rule 1

The images above are from multiple specimens, the best images have been selected to display detail, images taken on 30.09.20.

The specimens photographed sadly died in transit, and have been photographed in an unpreserved / unfixed state. The species was first discovered in the UK by a citizen scientist on a marina at Eastbourne, East Sussex, in SE England. Female caprellids, likely of the same species were found during Marine Biological Association marina surveys on 06.10.09 and 06.08.14 at Eastbourne, identification to species level was not carried out. This species has likely been present in SE England for some time, its spread and rate of spread unknown. It is likely to be highly invasive and is usually associated with the non-native bryozoan Bugula neritina on marina pontoons. This species could also arrive in SW England on currents from the south, or on yachts from southern ports.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.