Cortez Barrel Shrimp, Gnathophyllum panamense

Cortez  Barrel Shrimp, Gnathophyllum panamense. Shrimp collected from a tidal pool at El Tule, Km 17, Baja California Sur, December 2009. Length: 2.5 cm (1.0 inch).

Phylogeny: The Cortez Barrel Shrimp, Gnathophyllum panamense (Faxon, 1893), is a member of the Palaemonidae Family of Palaemonid Shrimp. The genus Gnathophyllum is one of one hundred fifty-eight genera in this family, and there are ten species in this genus. The genus name Gnathophyllum comes from the Greek words meaning “leaf jaw” , possibly referring to the leaf-like mandibles. This species is also known as the Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp and in Mexico as Camarrón Barril and Camarrón Cortes.

Morphology:  Cortez Barrel Shrimp are easy to identify due to their unique colors. Their thick cylindrical body is black with scattered orange and white specks. The tail and clawed appendages are whitish in color, and the walking legs are purple. Cortez Barrel Shrimp reach a maximum of  2.5 cm (1.0 inch) in length.

Habitat and Distribution:  Cortez Barrel Shrimp are nocturnal creatures that spend daylight hours hiding under rocks, or in crevasses, where they blend in well with their surroundings. They live in the intertidal zone and to depths up to 27 m (90 feet). Cortez Barrel Shrimp are a subtropical to tropical Eastern Pacific species that are found in all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean with the exception that they are absent from the west coast of the Baja Peninsula.

Diet: Cortez Barrel Shrimp are omnivores that feed on a variety of organisms and plant materials, including the tube feet of sea urchins. Additionally, they function as cleaner shrimp, mutualistically removing parasites and dead skin from fishes.

Predators: Cortez Barrel Shrimp are a poorly researched and documented species. Little is known about their predators. Other species in this family are prey for fish, octopus, and other decapods.

Reproduction:  Cortez Barrel Shrimp are gonochoric (male or female for life). They reproduce sexually with indirect fertilization. Females brood the fertilized eggs under their abdomen.  The eggs hatch into a juvenile shrimp instead of a larval form.

Ecosystem Interactions:  Cortez Barrel Shrimp function as cleaner shrimp, mutualistically removing parasites and dead skin from fishes. Any form of commensal or parasitic relationships have not been formally documented.

Human Interactions:  Cortez Barrel Shrimp have a very limited impact on human activities They are occasionally collected for the aquarium trade. From a conservation perspective the Cortez Barrel Shrimp has not been formally evaluated.

Synonyms: None