PORT PHILLIP BAY


Opossum Shrimp 

Heteromysis cf. waitei Tattersall, 1927

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Eyes stalked, with visual elements, ommatidia not divided into separate regions, spine at anterodistal corner of eye stalk absent (present in Heteromysis waitei); rostrum present, narrowly rounded, spines on lateral margins absent. Antenna 2 scale length 2:1 to 5:1 x width, shorter than antenna 1 peduncle, lateral margins with setae, without spines, medial margins without spines, distal margin rounded, distal spine absent, apical suture present, spine on outer distal corner absent. Body smooth. Pereopod 3 forming a pereopod, endopod broad, with distinct carpus and propodus, terminal brush of setae present. Uropod endopod diaresis absent, robust setae present, with 3-4 in statocyst region only, slender setae present, exopod much longer than endopod; exopod diaresis absent, robust setae absent, slender setae present, below diaresis. Telson longer than broad, distally truncate, cleft or notched less than 20%, without plumose setae, robust setae present along entire inner and outer margins.

Source: Yerman, M. & J.K. Lowry, 2007. Australian Mysidacea. Version 1 March 2007. http://www.crustacea.net.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Subclass:
Eumalacostraca
Superorder:
Peracarida
Order:
Mysida
Family:
Mysidae
Subfamily:
Mysinae
Genus:
Heteromysis
Species:
cf. waitei

General Description

Stalked eyes, carapace covering the head and most of the thorax. Spine at anterodistal corner of eye stalk absent. Rostrum narrowly rounded. Antenna 2 scale shorter than antenna 1 peduncle. Uropod exopod much longer than endopod. Abdomen long, ending in a tail fan bearing pair of statocysts. Telson with robust setae long entire outer margins. Up to 1.5 cm long.

Biology

Opossum shrimps are so-called because they carry their eggs and young in a marsupium-like pouch. This species was once referred to as Haplostylus tattersalli. Mysids can form large shoals in shallow waters, thus are an abundant food source for both adult and juvenile coastal fish.

Habitat

Shallow water and seagrass beds, to depths of 37 m.

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

Southern temperate oceans, including south-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Prawns, shrimps, lobsters › Mysids

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor Midwater

Max Size

15 mm

Diet

Plankton or Particles

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

MoV 1015

Conservation Status

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

Author

article author Taylor, J.

Dr. Jo Taylor is the Sciences Collections Online Coordinator at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Poore, G.C.B.

Dr. Gary Poore is Principal Curator Emeritus at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Taylor, J. & Poore, G.C.B., 2011, Opossum Shrimp, Heteromysis cf. waitei, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 20 Sep 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/5543

Text: creative commons cc by licence