New record of the blunt bladed shrimp Spirontocaris truncata (Caridea: Thoridae) from the Gulf of Alaska

Background The blunt bladed shrimp Spirontocaris truncata inhabits sponges and is typically found on subtidal rocky reefs, and is distributed from the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia to Baja California, Mexico at depths of 37 to 92 m. Results This paper presents a new record of this species obtained from stomach contents of the Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus , from the northern Gulf of Alaska, which extends its distribution range over 1800 km. This is the first record of the species in Alaska. Conclusions A large northward range extension was documented for the shrimp Spirontocaris truncata . A clear understanding of the distribution of marine species is a necessary prerequisite for effective monitoring and predictions about future changes to marine ecosystems.