More Shrimps

Most commonly found around reefs and freshwater environments, shrimp are sometimes even more common than fish.  They range from herbivores, carnivores, planktonivores, parasites, detritovores and scavengers.  Here are just some of the wide variety of species.

1. Sifter Shrimp:  A small shrimp that lives in coral reefs around Cristofsa, these small predators use their legs to dig through sand trying to find small invertebrates and worms.  They are clear with red stripes along the tail region.  10 centimeters

2. Trap shrimp:  Another small predator, this shrimp lives in freshwater rivers in Teraria and Trianka.  They dig burrows and hide in the silt and ground with their legs up swaying in the current.  When a fish or other small prey animal swims by, they grapple it and drag them into the burrow and feed.  They are brown with orange spots.  11 centimeters

3. Grass Scythe shrimp:  A large shrimp that lives on turtle grass and marshes in the southern parts of North Arteria, it is a herbivore.  It uses its large scythe like appendages to cut plants and algae to pieces and feed.  Unlike most shrimp, they swim more like a fish rather than normal shrimp using its tail to "flick" away. They are green with yellow lines along the body.  40 centimeters

4. Vulture shrimp:  A small shrimp, they live in small clusters feeding on dead animals and other detritus.  They have sharpened appendages on their tail and use them for gripping the dead organic material as well as scraping pieces up off of skeletons.  They live in both shallow waters and deep abyssal areas.  They vary from black to red and orange colorations.  2-20 centimeters

5. Angel shrimp:  A medium sized predator, they bury themselves under sand and wait for prey to swim by.  Once they prey is sighted, they dart out and stab their sharpened carapace into the prey animal and take it back to rocky outcrops to feed.  They live around Ptyra Island and the only way you can see if one is buried is that you can see their eyes on the stalks poking out from the sand.  They shred prey relatively fast and are very messy eaters so they have to constantly move from one hunting ground to another.  Their coloration varies on the type of sand they live in.  29 centimeters

6. Thunder shrimp:  A large burly species, they have strong pincers that can crush shells of prey animals.  They live in fresh water of Cristofsa and feed on clams, oysters, scallops, other shrimp, and small crabs.  They grab the prey and smash through the shell by either crushing or smashing through armor.  The two pincers are very strong and can also be used as clubs for defense against predators or fighting other  males.  They are mostly blue with orange stripes and red dots. 50 centimeters

7. Blister shrimp:  These shrimps are some of the most poisonous animals to live in the bay of Sauros.  One pinch can inject a poweful venom that causes blisters, skin burns, convulsions, seizures, and eventually brain death.  They are herbivorous and can be found eating grasses or detritus that lays at the bottom of the lakes and rivers they live in.  They can be found in South Arteria and only have one predator; the orange billed shrimper. They are colored as red, yellow, black, and green.  30 centimeters

8. Spined- abyssal shrimp:  A small species of shrimp; they live in the deep dark waters in the abyssal plain.  They use their claws to grab small prey items and any scraps that sink down from the surface.  They also have been seen clinging onto large chunks of dead animals and feed until it sinks down to the bottom.  The large spines are used for defense and they have long antennae (this specimen has them pulled in) and the longest recorded length is 4 meters.  Their body is transparent with tiny yellow dots in various spots along the body. 9 centimeters

9. Louse shrimp:  These are some of the smallest shrimps and live in massive shoals that migrate from colder waters up north to down to warm waters all around the world.  They live in grass plains where they lock onto the fronds and feed.  If attacked by a predator, they will roll into a ball and small spikes shoot out and can pierce through thin to medium armor.  They are mostly clear with small black dots. 4-6 centimeters

10. Scissor shrimp: A large omnivorous shrimp, they have one massive scissor like pincer while the other pincer is smaller and used to manipulate prey. They swim after prey and either stab its closed pincer or slice its prey in half and are very messy eaters.   For the majority of the year, they hunt the louse shrimp as well as other shrimp species that live around the grass plains.  For about two months, when the shrimps leave, they shed off the massive claw and have two small claws.  Here they then feed on small plankton and algae.  They are black orange and white.  60 centimeters

11. Arrow shrimp:  Another strange predator, these shrimp can only be found in coral reefs around Dragus.  Instead of having claws or pincers, they have modified limbs that are lined with small barbs.  These barbs can act as both siphons to drain the prey's fluids as well as a grappling hook to hold the prey in place.  Once prey, usually small fish and invertebrates, are caught they are dragged back to a burrow where the shrimp feeds.  These burrows are near rock outcroppings and you can tell if one is home by seeing small antennae or seeing bits of shredded fish floating around.  There is a small subspecies that has evolved to become a hitchiking parasite by using the limbs to hold onto large animals and feed when necessary.  These parasitic species are annoying and most are detached by either breaching or allowing cleaner animals to pick them off.  The normal species are usually brown and blue while the parasitic species are clear.  N: 20 centimeters, P: 1-10 centimeters

12. Harvester shrimp: An herbivorous species of shrimp, it has two major methods of feeding.  The normal way is to use its claw to cut down small algae colonies and the other gathering claw to take them back to it's den where it stores the algae.  The second way is to use its large filaments on its tail to catch plankton then cutting them off with its large claw.  These filaments grow back quickly, in as little as two minutes.  They live off the coast of Trianka as well as the Island of Death.  They are blue with red and yellow stripes.  16-40 centimeters

13. Pelagic Shrimp:  The largest species, it is a voracious predator with a three clawed pincer.  They are the last of a lineage of "shrimp-shark" where arthropods hunted in similar styles to sharks.  They use their claws to stab and tear prey and feed chunks to its grinding mouth.  THey are incredibly maneuverable and can outmaneuver small sharks.  They feed on large fish, jellies, other invertebrates, and plankton. They are blue on top and white or grey on the bottom.   3 meters

14. Armored shrimp:  A heavily armored shrimp, they live on the bottom feeding on carrion and dead organic matter.  Their heavily armored carapace can even stop an octopus beak and fights between them are common.  The swim slowly around the reef and live around reefs in North Arteria, Cristofsa, South Arteria, Dragus, and Ptyra Island.  They are grey with small white dots on the tail.  60 centimeters

15. Abyssal sifter:  Another sifting shrimp but this one lives deep in abyssal plains as well as near thermal vents.  Not only do they sift through the sands to feed on worms, but they also use their arms to tear out tube worms.  They have massive eyes to catch light from other animals and can use their spikes to ward off predators.  They are clear with small blue and yellow dots.  14 centimeters