Nematocarcinus
| Nematocarcinus | |
|---|---|
| Nematocarcinus ensifer; Gulf of Mexico, 2,770 m (9,090 ft) below the surface | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Caridea |
| Family: | Nematocarcinidae |
| Genus: | Nematocarcinus A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 |
| Type species | |
| Nematocarcinus cursor A. Milne-Edwards, 1881
| |
| Synonyms | |
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Nematocarcinus, sometimes known as spider shrimp, is a genus of caridean shrimp, the nominotype of Nematocarcinidae. Similar to the other members of their family, Nematocarcinus inhabit the deep sea, walking on the seabed with their specialized, extremely elongate legs (the pereiopods). Despite continuing fisheries experiments, they are currently not commercially fished, but often appear as bycatch.