Green Snapping Shrimp

Alpheus euphrosyne

Systematics: Caridea Family Alpheidae

Distinguishing Characters:
This species of snapping shrimp has one strong first cheliped with short fingers, a hood formed from the anterior part of the carapace over the eyes, and a shiny green body up to 65 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution:
The green snapping shrimp lives in sheltered intertidal and shallow mudflats, often with seagrass and mangroves. It is distributed throughout all the southern half of Australia.

General Biology:
The shrimp builds a burrow up to 30 cm deep in the mud often under the protection of a surface rock and sometimes sharing it with a mate. They feed on a wide range of plant and animal items obtained by foraging away from the burrow at night. The fingers at the end of the larger claw are used to make a loud snapping noise to stun prey and this sound can easily be heard when walking over mudflats when the tide is low.

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.