Notes on the habitat of the deep-sea Caridean shrimp, Bathypalaemonella serratipalma Pequegnat

Abstract

Although known from both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean deep sea, the habitat requirements of the shrimp, Bathypalaemonella serratipalma remained obscure. During a series of investigations of deep-sea octocoral communities on the New England seamounts and off the Bahama Islands, this shrimp was usually found clinging to the branches of the octocoral Iridogorgia splendens or an undescribed species of Chrysogorgia . In most cases the shrimp was a female carrying eggs. Caridean shrimp, especially those in the Palaemonidae subfamily Pontoniinae, are well known associates of gorgonian octocorals in tropical waters. Deep-sea octocorals were photographed and sampled from the New England Seamounts (NES) in July 2003, May 2004, and from the NES and Corner Rise (CR) seamounts in 2005. Sixteen specimens of Bathypalaemonella serratipalma were collected from two genera of the octocoral family Chrysogorgiidae. Keywords: Bathypalaemonella serratipalma Pequegnat ; Deep-Sea Caridean Shrimp