Meeting Abstract
15.4 Jan. 4 Larval settlement and population ecology of a newly described sponge dwelling peppermint shrimp, Lysmata pederseni RHYNE, Andrew L.*; SCHIZAS, Nikolaos V.; LIN, Junda; Florida Institute of Technology; University of Puerto Rico, Mayag�ez Campus; Florida Institute of Technology arhyne001@hotmail.com
The shrimps of the genus Lysmata have been studied rather extensively. In the past Lysmata species have been roughly divided into two informal, non-taxonomic groupings: 1) �cleaner shrimps�, with bright and contrasting coloration, including yellow and red colors and long white antenna, and famous for their ability to actively �clean� fish (L. amboinensis, L. grabhami, L. debelius, and L. splendida); 2) �peppermint shrimps�, with color patterns consisting of semi-translucent bodies with longitudinal and lateral red bands (e.g. L. wurdemanni, L. californica, and L. seticaudata). Aquarists and biologists have also noted that most if not all Lysmata species display a reproductive system unique among the decapods, protandric simultaneous hermaphroditism. The presented research investigates larval settlement, habitat use and preference, density, and social interactions for a newly described sponge-associated species from the western Atlantic, Lysmata pederseni. Close examination of the life history of the species provides an exceptional opportunity to study a species, which morphologically, appears as a peppermint shrimp, but displays some of the socio-ethological characteristics of the cleaner shrimp sub-group (e.g., low density). The unique relationship between host and shrimp appears be the driving force for the evolution of this species� life history.
