Tiger Pistol Shrimp

Alpheus bellulus

Tiger Pistol Shrimp

Alpheus bellulus

Other Common Names
Pretty snapping shrimp, Tiger snapping shrimp

Connected Coasts

Other Common Names

Pretty snapping shrimp, Tiger snapping shrimp

At the Aquarium

Connected Coasts

Appearance

The body of the tiger pistol shrimp is white with reddish brown netlike pattern. Their legs and chelipeds, which are claw-like appendages, are banded white and brown.

Habitat

Sandy bottoms of coral reefs

Diet

Small invertebrates, detritus, and macroalgae.

Life History

There is not much known regarding the specific life history of this species so more research is needed. However, it is known that the tiger pistol shrimp begins its life as a yellowish brown egg. It is also known that once hatched this species undergoes several stages of development as a larva. Then they eventually settle in sandy areas. Beginning at the juvenile stage they form a pair with a goby fish.

The tiger pistol shrimp typically burrows in sediments that are a mix of pebbles, sand, coral debris, and shell fragments. Their burrows reach 30-70 cm in length and 70 cm in depth.

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Tiger pistol shrimp live in association with goby species such as Amblyeleotris steinitzi and Amblyeleotris japonica. This species of shrimp builds and maintains a burrow while the goby acts as a lookout and guards the burrow.

Found in the Indo-pacific from East Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Solomon Islands and Japan.

This animal is not native to the Oregon Coast, however is found in the larger Pacific Ocean. It lives in the Aquarium as part of our Connected Coasts gallery.

The family Alpheidae is often referred to as snapping shrimp which comes from the shrimp’s ability to make a snapping or cracking sound with its pincers.

Citations & Other Resources

Dan Schofield (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alpheus_bellulus_57108149.jpg), „Alpheus bellulus 57108149“, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
Gosliner, T., D.W. Behrens, and G.C. Williams. 1996. Coral reef animals of the Indo-Pacific : animal life from Africa to Hawaii exclusive of the vertebrates. Sea Challengers.
Umehara, M., K. Seike, and S. Furuyama. 2022. Repeated computed tomography scanning reveals morphological development of burrows produced by the tiger pistol shrimp Alpheus bellulus. PloS One, 17(8), e0273055–e0273055. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273055
Miya, Y., and S. Miyake. 1969. DESCRIPTION OF ALPHEUS BELLULUS SP. NOV. ASSOCIATED WITH GOBIES FROM JAPAN (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA, ALPHEIDAE). Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 16(5), 307–314. https://doi.org/10.5134/175556
Yanagisawa, Y. (1978). STUDIES ON THE INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOBIID FISH AND SNAPPING SHRIMP. I. GOBIID FISHES ASSOCIATED WITH SNAPPING SHRIMPS IN JAPAN. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 24(4–6), 269–325. https://doi.org/10.5134/175979

Tiger Pistol Shrimp

Tiger Pistol Shrimp

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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