General Description

Rostrum not obviously trilobed, with 4-7 tubercles each side of medial lobe; lateral lobes barely distinguishable by short hiatus in row of tubercles from medial rostrum. Fourth segment (merus) of first leg (pereopod 1) spinose on lower edge; fifth segment (carpus) with strong mesiodorsal spine and smaller mesial spine; sixth segment (propodus) without spines; fixed finger one-fifth length of dactylus. Tail fan (telson) about as wide as long, with 2 transverse ridges and median longitudinal carina, margin convex; yellowish-orange with widely-spaced red chromatophores. Up to 1 cm long.

Biology

Mud shrimps, as the name would suggest, live in burrows in the mud. In Port Phillip Bay quantitative samples have indicated a density of up to 16 specimens per square metre.

Habitat

Bays, benthic sediments, 10-20 m depth.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern temperate oceans, including south-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Prawns, shrimps, lobsters › Ghost and mud shrimps

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

1 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Harmful

Not harmful but a nip from large claws could be painful

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 1009

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed