Identification Photos: Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp, Gnathophyllum panamense: The Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp is a caridean shrimp and member of the Gnathophyllidae Family of which there are 12 known global species of which three are found in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

The Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp is fairly easy to identify based on its unique colorations having a white tail, white claws, purple legs and a black shell (carapace) with red spots.

The Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp is a decapod with a total of ten appendages. It reaches up to 2 inches in length.

In Mexican waters the Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp is found throughout the Sea of Cortez and along the coast of the Mexican mainland south to Guatemala. It is a nocturnal creature spending daylight hours hiding under rocks where it blends in well with its surroundings. At night it emerges and becomes a voracious omnivore feeding on a variety of organisms and plant materials. In turn it is preyed upon by crabs, fish, and marine mammals.

Spotted Bumblebee Shrimp, Gnathophyllum panamense: Collected from a tidal pool at El Tule, Km. 17, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, in April 2007. Size approximately 0.5 inches. Identification courtesy of Dr. Gregory C. Jensen, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. Description and photos courtesy of John Snow.