Crangon alba Holmes, 1900 Common name(s): Stout crangon
Synonyms:
Phylum Arthropoda Subphylum Crustacea Class Malacostraca Subclass Eumalacostraca Order Decapoda Suborder Pleocyemata Infraorder Caridea Family Crangonidae
	Crangon alba captured in Padilla Bay tide flats
	(Photos by: Dave Cowles, July 2008)

How to Distinguish from Similar Species:   Crangon franciscorum has a spine on the upper posterolateral margin of abdominal segment 5.  C. handi, C. alaskensis, and C. nigricauda have a median ventral groove on abdominal segment 6.

Geographical Range: East Pacific

Depth Range:

Habitat:

Biology/Natural History: Crangon shrimp are common on sandy bottoms, where their camouflage helps them blend in well.  If disturbed they will often swim down to the sand, rest their ventral surface on it, and quickly burrow out of sight (using their legs, but probably also using their pleopods--see the photo below and this movie).

References:

General References:
 

Scientific Articles:
Campos, Joana, Claudia Moreira, Fabiana Freitas, and Henk W. van der Veer, 2012.  Short review of the eco-geography of Crangon.  Journal of Crustacean Biology 32:2 pp 159-169

Web sites:

General Notes and Observations:  Locations, abundances, unusual behaviors:
 

In this underside (ventral) view of the head the subchelate first pereopods can be clearly seen.

 

In this dorsal view of the head the small rostrum and the single median spine behind it can be seen.  The arrangement of the eyestalks can also be clearly seen.

The upper posterolateral margin of abdominal segment 5 has no spines, as seen in this dorsal view.  Anterior is to the right, and segment 6 is to the left.

Abdominal segment 6 has a dorsal median groove (sulcus) but no median ridge.  Anterior is to the right and the tailfan is to the left.

 

The ventral sides of abdominal segments 5 (right) and 6 (left) are both smooth and clear, with no median groove (sulcus).

This view is an oblique view of the right pleura and the ventral side from the right side of the shrimp.  The base of leg 5 can be seen at the right.

The feathery exopods of the pleopods are typically held out to the side.  They are used for swimming and likely also for burrowing.

 
 

This individual was carrying a large batch of white eggs.