Petalophthalmus [Petalophthalmus]

Description

Petalophthalmus is the type genus of the family Petalophthalmidae, consisting of species that are distinguished by their petal-shaped eyes, from which the family and genus names are derived. These eyes are believed to be an adaptation to the dimly lit environments of the deep sea where they reside. The shrimps of this genus are deep-sea dwellers, found across various oceans, usually at depths ranging from the continental shelf to the abyssal zone. They have slender bodies and long, thin appendages, which aid in their navigation and foraging in the benthic layers of the ocean.