Hairy Shrimp

Phycocaris simulans

It's a tiny shrimp...

Video: funsea17

Almost entirely composed of hair.

Hairy Shrimp come from parts of Southeast Asia. Very little is known about them, possibly because they themselves are so very, very little.

Video: oceanlifebali

They're something like 5 millimetres long, which is very nearly nothing at all. They're also sort of bent double, with their tail held more aloft than when a cat goes all showy with its behind. Why, by the way, are there no cat underpants? Surely some Victorian must have invented them?

And then, of course...

Video: Critters at Lembeh Resort
She's carrying eggs!

Hairy Shrimp are completely covered in hair! Along with their red, brown and orange colours, it lets them completely disappear among the filthy, detritus-strewn algae that looks so pretty from a distance.

Image: prilfish
King of the trash heap

That's always an issue when you look really close at something. You never know what might look utterly nasty and turn out to be covered in mites.

You here that, cats? Nasty and covered in mites!