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Bubble Coral Shrimps Vir spp.
Although the genus Vir is found across the Asia/Indo-Pacific region, up until 2002 only two species had been recorded from Australia, the Oriental Shrimp Vir orientalis which lives amongst stony corals of the genus Pocillopora and the Philippine Shrimp Vir philippinensis reported as being associated with stony corals of the genera Euphylia, Plerogyra and Fungia.
However, I have photographic records and specimens from many locations across the Asia/Indo-Pacific area and in my experience I have only found this shrimp living on the Bubble Coral Plerogyra sinuosa.
In 1979, I photographed and collected a specimen of small shrimp in Plerogyra sinuosa from the Coral Sea. To me it looked different from anything I had seen at that time as it had spots on its legs. Eventually, it was identified (from the specimen) as Vir orientalis and there was no reason for me to question this at the time. Then in the pioneering days at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea in the 1980s I found and photographed similar shrimps in bubble coral.
During ongoing research over the years and having a great deal more reference materials available than the early days I realised that it was an undescribed species and eventually procured two mature female specimens. In 2004, the new species was described and given the name Coleman's Bubble Coral shrimp, Vir colemani.
During fauna surveys at Loloata Island, Papua New Guinea in 1986 I discovered another totally different Two-spot Bubble Coral Shrimp living in the bubble coral Plerogyra sinuosa. At the time, the specimens were mis-identified as juveniles of the beautiful shrimp Periclimenes venustus and eventually this mistake was carried on and published in the book Discover Loloata Island in 1988 and in Crustacea Guide of the World (Debelius).
This shrimp has now been recognised as a new species and is being described as such. Recent expeditions to Loloata Island have now discovered that this bubble coral shrimp Vir sp. can be found living in the bubble coral Plerogyra sinuosa and Lichtensteins Bubble Coral Physogyra lichtensteini.
The taxonomy of commensal shrimps is showing a new upsurge in popularity and there are new species being described in Australia and Japan.
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The Philippines Bubble Coral Shrimp Vir philippinensis is distributed from Japan to Indonesia and down to the Great Barrier Reef . It grows to 5cm and lives exclusively in the Bubble Coral Plerogyra sinuosa. It has a purple line on nippers and legs.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
First discovered by the author in the Coral Sea in 1979, this new species was mis-identified at the time as Vir orientalis (another coral dwelling species). Photographed again in the 1980s from Milne Bay it wasnt until larger female specimens from 24 metres at Loloata Island were available that a new species was recognised and named as Colemans Bubble Coral Shrimp Vir colemani in 2004. (Female).
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Colemans bubble coral shrimp Vir colemani (male) is now known from Malaysia to Vanuatu and lives in the bubble coral Plerogyra sinuosa. It has blue dots on all legs and nippers.
First published in Discover Loloata Island book in 1988 (mis-identified at the time as Periclimenes venustus) this pair of the undescribed species of Vir sp. (Crust: 1280) are very characteristic of the species with a different colour pattern to any other known species of commensal shrimp. Although discovered in 1986 it has only recently been recognised as a totally new species. The Two-spot Bubble Coral shrimp Vir sp. lives in the bubble coral Plerogyra sinuosa at depths of 12 to 20 metres and also in Lichtensteins bubble coral Physogyra lichtensteini at 23 metres. It is known from Indonesia and Loloata Island, Papua New Guinea.
(Photo Neville Coleman)