Sand Ghost Shrimp

Biffarius arenosus

Systematics: Thalassinidea Family Callianassidae

Distinguishing Characters:
The sand ghost shrimp grows to 43 mm long, its larger cheliped has straight fingers hooked at their ends, and the telson is squarish. The eyes are black.

Habitat and Distribution:
As the name implies the sand ghost shrimp prefers sandy over muddy sediments and lives on intertidal sand flats and down to shallow depths in bays from southern Queensland to Tasmania.

General Biology:
The burrow of this species is up to 30 cm deep with several openings to the surface and with turning chambers at the regularly-spaced corners. The movement of the animal itself in the burrow acts like a piston moving oxygenated water in. The broad pleopods on the abdomen also act as ventilators. The animals feeds on the organic matter in the sediment which it excavates.

Feedback and queries should be sent to the Discovery Centre at Museum Victoria.
Please note, the Discovery Centre can help you only with questions about crustaceans from southeastern Australia. It can not advise on the care of pet hermit crabs or on crustaceans from other regions.