Disc Anemone Shrimp

Pliopontonia furtiva

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Palaemonidae
Genus: Pliopontonia
Species: Pliopontonia furtiva

The disc anemone shrimp (Pliopontonia furtiva) is a tiny, secretive shrimp that lives hidden on corallimorpharians, or disc anemones. Its name 'furtiva' refers to its stealthy habits, and its colour closely matches its host.

Only around 1 cm long, it lives on the oral disc or under the edge of its host, often in pairs. It feeds on mucus and particles from the disc anemone and relies on camouflage rather than escape.

Disc anemones on reefs in the Philippines occasionally host this shrimp. Finding one requires a very close look at the surface of the disc, ideally with a macro lens.