Bumblebee Shrimp

Gnathophyllum americanum

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Palaemonidae
Genus: Gnathophyllum
Species: Gnathophyllum americanum

The bumblebee shrimp (Gnathophyllum americanum) is a small, stout shrimp with dark brown and cream bands that make it look like a bumblebee. Its body is often dotted with tiny white or yellow spots inside the dark bands.

It grows to about 1-2 cm and feeds on the tube feet of sea urchins and sea stars. It hides under rocks and in crevices by day, coming out at night to forage. Despite its name, it is found in tropical waters around the world, not only in the Americas.

In the Philippines the bumblebee shrimp is found under rocks and rubble on shallow reefs, often near sea urchins. Night dives give the best chance of seeing it out in the open.