Shrimps The critter corner

Emperor Shrimp

Emperor Shrimp in Lembeh – Indonesia by Evie Go

The word shrimp used in a derogatory manner can be used to identify someone as small or puny. Although these sea creatures are rather small, the role they play in our oceans is massive and their intricate behaviors and characteristics are just as big.
With over 2000 different species, shrimp is a generic term that covers a wide spread and abundant group. Under the broader definition, shrimp may be synonymous with the name prawn even though these animals are slightly different. These names generally cover stalk-eyed swimming crustaceans with narrow muscular tails, long whisker like antenna and slender, spider like legs.
Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals that live close to the bottom. They are omnivorous and feed mainly on algae and other plant particles along with tiny fish and plankton in the water. Ever wonder what that crackling noise you hear underwater while diving is? One species is known to stun its prey by making a loud noise with one of its claws making an audible snapping sound through the water.
This critters are eaten by fish, crabs, sea urchins, sea stars, sea -birds, whales, dolphins, sharks and of course humans in addition to many other animal species as well. Unfortunately for their predators, they are known to have a high tolerance to toxins and may actually contribute to high toxin levels in them. To escape their predators, some species flip off the seafloor and dive into the sediment while others use the protection of other animal species. Whether it’s getting an alert from a fish to scurry back into a hole, using the spikes of a sea urchin or chilling with a poisonous nudibranch, the shrimp knows how to make friends for protection.
One of their coolest attributes and one of the most interesting things to observe are the relationships some of this critters have with other sea creatures. They can be found in the tentacles of anemones, on sea stars and nudibranchs, on sea urchins, on corals and in and around the mouths of fish in addition to other interesting spots. Many shrimp have even adapted their coloration and shape to closely mimic the host they are residing on with to camouflage themselves. Needless to say, this can often times make them very tough to spot.
Probably one of the most widely recognized shrimp behaviors is their cleaning station performances. Some species perform a dance like movement by waving their antennae and scurrying around in a specific location to attract fish. This operation entices fish, including sharks and eels, to slowly come in and allow the shrimp to maneuver in and around the animal’s mouth and gills to pick off parasites without being eaten themselves. In this deal, this critters gets a meal and the fish gets a much needed cleaning.

WORDS by John Fifer / www.reefid.org

Different shrimps

Left: Cleaning shrimp on a grouper by Andrey Savin
Center: Spotted cleaner anemone shrimp by Glenn Kulmer
Right: Emperor shrimp on a nudibranch by Fabio Strazzi

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