SOLITARY ISLANDS
UNDERWATER
RESEARCH GROUP, INC.

Palaemon serenus
(Heller, 1862)

Common Name: Rockpool Shrimp

Distribution: Abundantly common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Known from the southern half of Australia, from central Queensland to Perth in Western Australia and including Tasmania.

Ecological Notes: Inhabits intertidal areas and coastal reefs, often in large numbers. Depth from intertidal to at least 15 m, specimen pictured discovered in tidal rock pool.

Additional Notes: Transparent body, red spots and flecks arranged longitudinally along the abdomen, oblique red lines on the carapace. The second pair of legs are long and have an obvious red collar on the claws. They are algal feeders and scavengers. Grows to 60 mm in length.

References: Diana Jones, Gary Morgan, A Field Guide to Crustaceans of Australian Waters, Western Australian Museum, Reed Publishers, Sydney, 1994. p.68.

Graham J. Edgar. Australian Marine Life, 2nd Edition, 2008. Reed New Holland Publishers. p.223.