Unknown Shrimp?

[scubadiverjackcook]

At Eagle Reefs, off Santa Catalina Island, on May 4th, 2011, at about 30 FSW, Water Temp 62 degrees F, perched on a Southern Sea Palm, this is either one of the trickiest pieces of debris I have ever seen, or some kind of tiny shrimp. It was 5 centimeters or less long. Does anybody have any idea what this could be?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Are you sure there's not a crab under there? Sometimes decorator crabs get so extreme with their decorating efforts they can hardly move around.
Rick

 

[scubadiverjackcook]

I looked at all of the decorator crabs that I have in my books and it seemed like the body shape was too elongated to be one of them. Nonetheless, if the crab was doing a lot of add-ons, like a balcony, a patio, and a storage shed, maybe it could be a longer shape. Thanks, Rick.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Just as an example of how carried away they can get, check out this one - and the next few photos - he had so much stuff on him he could hardly move... all he can do in any current is to hunker down
Rick