Cleaner Shrimps & allies
This interesting group of small benthic decapod crustaceans includes cleaner shrimp and boxer shrimp, and belongs to the Infraorder Stenopodidea. There are only ten species in two families in Australian waters, with the Banded Coral Shrimp always the most common and conspicuous. Stenopodids are easily confused with shrimps or prawns, but unlike species in either of those groups, these crustaceans have a greatly enlarged third pair of legs. In the wild, stenopodids like the Banded Coral Shrimp operate 'cleaning stations' in which they remove external parasites from fish.
Subject categories
Share
Related topics
