Cuapetes lacertae explained

Cuapetes lacertae, previously known as Periclimenes lacertae, is a species of shrimp belonging to the family Palaemonidae.^[1] Its name is due to the fact the first specimen was collected from Lizard Island: lacerta being Latin for "lizard".

Description

Medium-sized shrimp, slender, subcylindrical body form. Approximate total length is 21mm; carapace + rostrum 10.2mm; major second pereiopod chela 8.8mm; minor second pereiopod chela 6mm.

Distribution

This species is known from Lizard Island, Queensland. Individuals can be found living among the tentacles of the polyps of the mushroom coral Heliofungia actiniformis.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Bruce. A. J.. Two new species of Periclimenes (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Lizard Island, Queensland, with notes on some related taxa. Records of the Australian Museum. 44. 1. 1992. 45–84. 0067-1975. 10.3853/j.0067-1975.44.1992.28. free.
2. Bos, A.R. & B.W. Hoeksema . 2015 . Cryptobenthic fishes and co-inhabiting shrimps associated with the mushroom coral Heliofungia actiniformis (Fungiidae) in the Davao Gulf, Philippines . Environmental Biology of Fishes . 98 . 6 . 1479–1489 . 10.1007/s10641-014-0374-0. 14834695 .