Upogebia stellata
| Upogebia stellata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Family: | Upogebiidae |
| Genus: | Upogebia |
| Species: | U. stellata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Upogebia stellata (Montagu, 1808)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Upogebia stellata is a species of mud shrimp in the family Upogebiidae.[3]
Description
Upogebia stellata is up to 5 centimetres (2 in) long; it is yellow-white, sometimes with orange spots. Its anatomy is described thus:
- carapace with strong cervical groove
- anterior lateral border has a small ocular spine
- hairy rostrum
- chelipeds equal in size, long and slender
- ventral margin of manus has dense rows of hairs
- outer extremity of carpus has a long spine[4]
The specific name stellata means "starred" in Latin, referring to the spots on its body.[5]
Distribution
Upogebia stellata is found in the eastern Atlantic. It is common around Great Britain and Ireland, also being found off Norway and Spain, and in the Mediterranean.[6]
Ecology
U. stellata is part of the infauna, living permanently in burrows in the seafloor. It digs long tunnels in the mud up to 100 ft (30 m) in length.[7] It is a suspension feeder. Courtship is practiced through olfactory and tactile cues; sperm transfer is indirect.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Upogebia stellata". www.sealifebase.se.
- ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Upogebia stellata (Montagu, 1808)". www.marinespecies.org.
- ^ "BIOTIC". www.marlin.ac.uk.
- ^ Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe. (1995:434). Japan: OUP Oxford.
- ^ "ScotCat = Etymology: Species Names S". www.scotcat.com.
- ^ "Upogebia stellata | NBN Atlas". species.nbnatlas.org.
- ^ Stebbing, T. R. R. (1893:186). A History of Crustacea: Recent Malacostraca. United Kingdom: D. Appleton.