Callianassa subterranea
Callianassa subterranea is a species of burrowing ghost shrimp. This species is known by such generic common names as "mud shrimp" and "ghost shrimp". Description Callianassa subterranea has an elongated body, a short small carapace, and a short rostrum. Its pale, translucent exoskeleton is not heavily calcified and remains relatively soft and flexible. Its large claws are unequal in size and are larger in males than in females. C. subterranea has very small eyes and grows up to in length. Like many similar thalassinidean decapods, C. subterranea is a deposit-feeder that ingests sediment particles in order to scrape off and digest the organic coating called biofilm that sticks to them. To facilitate this type of foraging, its mouthparts, except for the mandible, are covered with a variety of setae designed for sediment denitrification. Its pereiopods are highly specialized for the digging activity of a deposit feeder and are not used for grooming. Range and habitat C. subterranea has a widespread marine distribution from Norway to the Mediterranean Sea. It has been recorded in large numbers in the southern North Sea and the north-eastern Irish Sea. Its presence has been recorded on the south coast of Britain and the west coast