Spiny Tiger Shrimp
Phyllognathia ceratophthalma
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Subphylum
- Crustacea
- Class
- Malacostraca
- Order
- Decapoda
- Family
- Palaemonidae
- Genus
- Phyllognathia
- Species
- Phyllognathia ceratophthalma
The spiny tiger shrimp (Phyllognathia ceratophthalma) is a tiny, stocky shrimp with tiger-like bands and horn-like projections on its eyes. Its body is cream to white with bold brown or black stripes and is covered in small spines.
Usually under 1 cm long, it is a close relative of the bumblebee shrimps and is believed to feed on the tube feet of sea urchins and sea stars. It hides under rocks and rubble during the day and is more active at night.
In the Philippines it is a sought-after critter on rubble slopes, most often spotted by carefully scanning rubble with a torch on night dives. Its 'horned' eyes make it easy to recognise up close.