Dauin Biodiversitygasm II: Crustaceans

Not only did I observe and photograph some really fascinating fishes during the first part of this year, I also saw and shot some intriguing crustaceans. I have a mixed relationship with shrimps & crabs & lobsters … my expertise is much more centered around the fishes, and I can not nearly place them as well into an evolutionary framework when I see them. Still, I greatly enjoy observing and photographing these animals.

Anemones are a great spot to look for interesting shrimp in Dauin. This one, Periclimenes brevicarpalis, was living right next to a large anemone in the sand (visible behind it).

This is an individual of Synalpheus, the type of shrimp which lives in symbiosis with gobies, sharing a burrow. It’s hard to get close to them – I’m quite stoked about this shot:

Shrimp often use human rubbish as homes – this one is living in a beer bottle. This does not mean that it’s a good idea to throw bottles into the ocean, but it’s still interesting to observe how these animals are Kulturfloger.

Crinoids, invertebrates related to sea stars and sea urchins, are also popular homes for small shrimps. This one is highly camouflaged to match its host in color and pattern: