What is that in the Fire Urchin???

[Marriard]

The Fire Urchin (Asthenosoma varium) population in Anilao, The Philippines has been on the rise... and so have the critters that make these beautiful, but poisonous urchins their homes....

Here are some of my faves....

Urchin Siphonfish (Siphamia versicolor).
These are actually a small species of Cardinalfish

Parasitic Eulimid Shell (Luetzenia asthenosomae)
Not so nice - these little shells live off the 'flesh' of the urchin.

and of course - Coleman Shrimp (Periclimenes colemani)
This Coleman Shrimp has his own problem - the lump on the shrimp is a Bopyrid Parasitic Isopod living in the shrimps gills.

Enjoy,
M

 

[DennisW]

Very nice pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ssra30]

Not fair, I looked on fire urchins in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, must have been quite a few hundreds by now and never once found Coleman's shrimsp

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Man... Those are fantastic photos!