TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Caridea
Family: Hippolytidae

Genus/species: Lysmata amboinensis

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Dorsal redline on tan body. Long white antennae.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Red Sea to Australia; Indonesia, Society Islands. Active day and night at cleaning stations on coral and rocky reefs, 8–25 m. Reside in pairs or groups (to 100 individuals) in caves and crevices.

cleaner shrimp24441637412_8890f98e21_oDIET IN THE WILD: It has been observed that fish with parasites may come to cleaning stations. in the reef. Certain species of fish and several types of cleaner shrimp may assist the fish in large numbers and even go inside the mouth (and then to the gill cavity) without being eaten.

cleaner shrimp4337509985_c72ab0aedf_o

REPRODUCTION: L. amboinensis initially develop and reproduce as males then develop female reproductive organs to become hermaphrodites and function as both males and females throughout the reproductive cycle. This system called protandric simultaneous hermaphroditism is so far known only from caridean shrimp in the closely related genera Lysmata and Exhippolysmata.

REMARKS: Cleaner shrimp advertise their services by their bright coloration and by waving their very long antennae, which contrast with the dark recess of their station.

Jacques, a character in Finding Nemo, is a humpback cleaner shrimp. In aquaria, cleaner shrimp are valued because they clean not only the fish, but the tank as well.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Color on the Reef AQA17 2017

EOL www.eol.org/pages/128343/details

Ron’s WordPress shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1KD

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/24441637412/in/album-72157659465376212/