Pandalopsis dispar Rathbun, 1902 Common name(s):  Sidestriped shrimp
Synonyms:
Phylum Arthropoda Subphylum Crustacea Class Malacostraca Subclass Eumalacostraca Superorder Eucarida Order Decapoda Suborder Pleocyemata Infraorder Caridea Family Pandalidae
	Pandalopsis dispar captured at about 70 m depth in San Juan Channel.  Total length (telson to rostrum) 15 cm.
	(Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2008)

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: Pandalopsis ampla, a deepwater species, does not have dorsal spines on the distal half of its rostrum.  Members of genus Pandalus such as P. platyceros, P. eous, P. hypsinotus, and P. danae have much shorter first antennae.  No other local shrimp has the distinctive pattern of abdominal stripes that this species has (such as the white stripe that goes along the side of the abdomen), though several such as P. hypsinotus and P. danae do have abdominal stripes.

Geographical Range: Pribilof Islands (Arctic Ocean) to Manhattan Beach, Oregon

Depth Range:  45-650 m

Habitat:  Soft bottoms (subtidal)

Biology/Natural History:  This species is fished commercially with bottom trawls, but because it catches mostly midwater shrimp for its own food it is not usually attracted to shrimp pots.  Its large, paddlelike pleopods suggest its ample swimming ability (photo).   This species is sometimes parasitized by the bopyrid isopod Bopyroides hippolytes.

References:

General References:
   Butler, 1980
   Lamb and Hanby, 2005
   Jensen, 1995

Scientific Articles:

Web sites:

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

We only encounter this species on deep trawls such as those with the University of Washington in San Juan Channel.  It is less common there than many of the Pandalus species such as P. platyceros.

This side view shows the distinctive abdomen stripes, the very long rostrum, and the fact that both the first and second antennae are much longer than the carapace + rostrum.  Note that one of the first antennae is broken.  Also note the large paddle-like pleopods, one pair of which is extended in this photo.  Photo by Dave Cowles July 2008

This closeup of the side of the abdomen shows the distinctive stripes, and also the fact that in this shrimp, as in all Caridean shrimp, the pleuron of the second abdominal segment overlaps that of the first and third segment.

The dorsal spines on the carapace are only on the front half of the carapace and the rostrum.

The spines on the rostrum are found nearly out to the end--not just on the basal part.  Note that ventral spines also are found nearly out to the end.