Red pistol shrimp (Alpheus macrocheles)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Anker A, Grave S · via Wikipedia: Alpheus macrocheles · CC BY 3.0
Alpheus macrocheles, also known as the orange European snapping prawn, is a species of snapping shrimp within the family Alpheidae.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- CladePancrustacea
- ClassMalacostraca
- OrderDecapoda
- SuborderPleocyemata
- InfraorderCaridea
- FamilyAlpheidae
- GenusAlpheus
- SpeciesAlpheus macrocheles
Named by (Hailstone, 1835)
Close relatives
Other species of Alpheus with a Codexery entry.
- Alpheus armatus Alpheus armatus
- Alpheus bellulus Alpheus bellulus
- Alpheus cedrici Alpheus cedrici
- Alpheus deuteropus Alpheus deuteropus
- Alpheus fasqueli
- Alpheus heterochaelis
- Alpheus randalli
- Alpheus tricolor
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Alpheus macrocheles (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 107479 (CC BY 4.0)
Where the red pistol shrimp (alpheus macrocheles) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (412 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 34 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Scientific name
- Alpheus macrocheles
- Authority
- (Hailstone, 1835)
- Family
- Alpheidae
- Order
- Decapoda
- Habitat zone
- benthic
- Gbif occurrence records
- 412
Facts from the source article.
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Arthropoda · Class: Malacostraca · Order: Decapoda · Family: Alpheidae · Genus: Alpheus.
Accepted name: Alpheus macrocheles · Authority: (Hailstone, 1835) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 107479.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Alphaeus latimanus A. Costa <i>in</i> Hope, 1851; Alpheus affinis Guise, 1854; Alpheus edwardsii H. Milne Edwards, 1837; Alpheus megacheles (Hailstone, 1835); Alpheus milnei Guérin-Méneville, 1857; Alpheus platyrhynchus Heller, 1862; Hippolyte macrocheles Hailstone, 1835; Hippolyte rubra Hailstone, 1835; Hippolyte rubra Westwood, 1835; Nika platyura Fischer, 1872.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=107479 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Alpheus macrocheles. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Habitat zone: benthic.
SeaLifeBase notes: Found on coarse calcareous bottoms (Ref. 79730).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 24659) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Alpheus-macrocheles.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
412 georeferenced occurrence records for Alpheus macrocheles are published through GBIF from 28 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 101 distinct locations from a sample of 412 records, omitting 34 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: France (132); United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (105); Spain (88); Greece (15); Portugal (13); United States of America (12); Guernsey (7); Cabo Verde (5); Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (4); Bahamas (3); Italy (3); Angola (2); Belgium (2); Brazil (2); Ireland (2).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: European waters (ERMS scope); South Coast of England; Wimereux; Canary Islands Exclusive Economic Zone; Cape Verdean Exclusive Economic Zone; Angolan Exclusive Economic Zone; Liberian Exclusive Economic Zone; West Coast of South Africa; Mediterranean Sea; United Kingdom; Antilles Sea; Guinean Exclusive Economic Zone; Sao Tome and Principe Exclusive Economic Zone; Gulf of Gascogne; Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone; Moroccan Atlantic; Gabonese Exclusive Economic Zone; Guinean Islands; West Mediterranean; Ionian sea; Cyprus; South West England; South East Atlantic; East Mediterranean; Mersin Bay; British Isles; St. Helena Exclusive Economic Zone; Ascension Exclusive Economic Zone; Southern Bight; English Channel.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2226097) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2226097&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=107479 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Alpheus macrocheles grow up to 35 mm long and have a cheliped morphology. The chela is highly twisted and compressed, and the dactylar articulation deviates from the perpendicular plane to the dorsal margin. There is often distinct grooves on the chela's lateral face.
Most individuals of this species are bright orange, however yellow individuals also exist. Like other species within the genus Alpheus the claws of Alpheus macrocheles are asymmetrical, with one of the claws being larger than the other. The larger claw is used for hunting small prey animals and self defence against predators and their own species.
Alpheus macrocheles can be found within the English Channel along the South coast of England and France. It has also been documented in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean on both sides, and even in waters around Ascension Island in the Central Atlantic. It has been recorded to also live off the coast of Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Azores Archipelago.
Alpheus macrocheles is a marine species. It can be found living underwater in fissures and hollows underneath rocks and boulders.
They generally favour larger boulders on the lower shoreline. The oceans current pushes sediment such as sand into the hollow, which allows A. macrocheles to excavate tunnels. Tunnels are usually shared by a breeding pair and possess two entrances, with each entrance being guarded by an individual shrimp.
Source: Wikipedia: Alpheus macrocheles — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpheus_macrocheles (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Alpheus macrocheles (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: SeaLifeBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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