Crustaceans

Marine Life / Crustaceans

The ocean’s heavily armored, fascinatingly active crabs, shrimps, and lobsters.

• White banded cleaner shrimp Lysmata amboinensis

  The white-banded cleaner shrimp, also known as the white-striped cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis), is a small but fascinating marine creature renowned for its striking red and white coloration.

• Skeleton shrimp Caprella sp.

  Skeleton shrimp are tiny, stick-thin amphipods that look more like alien insects than shrimp, swaying back and forth as they cling to hydroids, algae and sea fans.

• Hairy squat lobster Lauriea siagiani

  The hairy squat lobster (Lauriea siagiani) is a tiny, fuzzy purple-and-white crustacean that lives almost exclusively inside the folds of giant barrel sponges.

• Common hairy shrimp Phycocaris simulans

  The common hairy shrimp (Phycocaris simulans) is a minute, algae-covered shrimp that is so well camouflaged it looks like a speck of drifting debris.

• Sawblade shrimp Tozeuma armatum

  The sawblade shrimp (Tozeuma armatum) is a long, slender shrimp with a serrated, saw-like rostrum and back that lets it disappear among sea whips and seagrass.

• Algae shrimp Phycocaris sp.

  The algae shrimp (Phycocaris sp.) is a tiny green shrimp that looks almost exactly like a tuft of the algae it lives on, making it one of the hardest crustaceans to find.

• Anemone Decorator Crab Cyclocoeloma tuberculatum

  The anemone decorator crab (Cyclocoeloma tuberculatum) is a spider crab that plants small living anemones all over its shell, turning itself into a walking garden.

• Whip Coral Xeno Crab Xenocarcinus tuberculatus

  The whip coral xeno crab (Xenocarcinus tuberculatus) is a slender spider crab that lives on sea whips and black corals, matching their colour and banding almost perfectly.

• Candy Crab Hoplophrys oatesii

  The candy crab (Hoplophrys oatesii) is a tiny, brightly coloured spider crab that lives on Dendronephthya soft corals and is almost impossible to tell apart from them.

• Pentagonal Urchin Crab Echinoecus pentagonus

  The pentagonal urchin crab (Echinoecus pentagonus) is a small symbiotic crab that lives on sea urchins, sheltering among their spines or near their mouth.

• Zebra Urchin Crab Zebrida adamsii

  The zebra urchin crab (Zebrida adamsii) is a striking little crab with bold zebra-like stripes that lives among the spines of sea urchins.

• Bird's Nest Coral Crab Trapezia guttata

  The bird's nest coral crab (Trapezia guttata) is a small guard crab that lives among the branches of Seriatopora and other branching corals, defending its host against predators.

• Bandit Coral Crab Tetralia nigrolineata

  The bandit coral crab (Tetralia nigrolineata) is a tiny guard crab with a dark 'bandit mask' band across its front, living in branching Acropora corals.

• Rusted Coral Guard Crab Trapezia rufopunctata

  The rusted coral guard crab (Trapezia rufopunctata) is a small coral crab covered in rusty red spots that guards Pocillopora corals.

• Xenia Swimming Crab Caphyra loevis

  The Xenia swimming crab (Caphyra loevis) is a tiny swimming crab that lives inside pulsing Xenia soft corals and decorates itself with their polyps.

• Brilliant Coral Gall Crab Pseudocryptochirus viridis

  The brilliant coral gall crab (Pseudocryptochirus viridis) is a tiny, shiny green crab that lives in shallow pits on stony corals.

• Hong Kong Coral Gall Crab Neotroglocarcinus hongkongensis

  The Hong Kong coral gall crab (Neotroglocarcinus hongkongensis) is a tiny crab that lives in a pit inside living stony coral, named after the place it was first described.

• Orange Coral Gall Crab Cryptochiridae

  The orange coral gall crab is a tiny orange crab from the coral gall crab family that lives in a pit inside living stony coral.

• Chocolate Shrimp Periclimenes sp.

  The chocolate shrimp (Periclimenes sp.) is a small, rich brown commensal shrimp whose colour makes it look as if it has been dipped in chocolate.

• Flower Coral Shrimp Hamopontonia corallicola

  The flower coral shrimp (Hamopontonia corallicola) is a tiny, translucent shrimp that lives among the long polyps of flower pot and other large-polyp stony corals.

• Egg Shell Shrimp Hamopontonia fungicola

  The egg shell shrimp (Hamopontonia fungicola) is a tiny, pale shrimp that lives on mushroom corals, its smooth whitish body resembling a fragment of egg shell.

• Cactus Shrimp Pontonides maldivensis

  The cactus shrimp (Pontonides maldivensis) is a tiny shrimp that lives on black corals and sea whips, its body covered in bumps that mimic the host's polyps.

• Coleman's Coral Shrimp Palaemonella colemani

  Coleman's coral shrimp (Palaemonella colemani, formerly Vir colemani) is a glassy, purple-banded shrimp that lives among the polyps of bubble corals.

• Bubble Coral Shrimp Palaemonella philippinensis

  The bubble coral shrimp (Palaemonella philippinensis, formerly Vir philippinensis) is a transparent shrimp with purple-tipped legs that lives on bubble corals.

• Marble Shrimp Saron marmoratus

  The marble shrimp (Saron marmoratus) is a stocky, mottled shrimp with tufts of hair-like filaments, best known as a nocturnal reef wanderer.

• Neglected Marble Shrimp Saron neglectus

  The neglected marble shrimp (Saron neglectus) is a close relative of the common marble shrimp, with a finely speckled body and tufts of filaments.

• Mushroom Coral Shrimp Cuapetes kororensis

  The mushroom coral shrimp (Cuapetes kororensis) is a translucent shrimp with bright spots that lives on mushroom corals and other large-polyp corals.

• White-stripe Urchin Shrimp Stegopontonia commensalis

  The white-stripe urchin shrimp (Stegopontonia commensalis) is a long, needle-thin shrimp that lives along the spines of sea urchins, striped to match them.

• Emperor Shrimp Zenopontonia rex

  The emperor shrimp (Zenopontonia rex) is a colourful shrimp that rides on nudibranchs, sea cucumbers and Spanish dancers, hitching a lift across the reef.

• Brock's Urchin Shrimp Allopontonia brockii

  Brock's urchin shrimp (Allopontonia brockii) is a small, striped shrimp that lives among the spines of fire urchins and other sea urchins.

• Starfish Shrimp Zenopontonia soror

  The starfish shrimp (Zenopontonia soror) is a small, flattened shrimp that lives on the underside of sea stars, matching their colour.

• Basket Star Shrimp Lipkemenes lanipes

  The basket star shrimp (Lipkemenes lanipes) is a slender, translucent shrimp that lives among the coiled arms of basket stars.

• Disc Anemone Shrimp Pliopontonia furtiva

  The disc anemone shrimp (Pliopontonia furtiva) is a tiny, secretive shrimp that lives hidden on corallimorpharians, or disc anemones.

• Peacock-tail Anemone Shrimp Ancylocaris brevicarpalis

  The peacock-tail anemone shrimp (Ancylocaris brevicarpalis) is a glassy anemone shrimp with white patches and a tail fan decorated with orange-ringed eyespots.

• Yellow-spotted Anemone Shrimp Ancylomenes luteomaculatus

  The yellow-spotted anemone shrimp (Ancylomenes luteomaculatus) is a transparent anemone shrimp decorated with bright yellow and white spots.

• Zanzibar Shrimp Dasycaris zanzibarica

  The Zanzibar shrimp (Dasycaris zanzibarica) is a tiny shrimp with a hairy, bumpy body that lives on sea whips and sea pens.

• Boschma's Gorgonian Shrimp Hamodactylus boschmai

  Boschma's gorgonian shrimp (Hamodactylus boschmai) is a tiny shrimp that lives on gorgonian sea fans, colour-matched to its host.

• Japanese Dragon Shrimp Anachlorocurtis commensalis

  The Japanese dragon shrimp (Anachlorocurtis commensalis) is a slender, spiny shrimp that lives on black corals and whip corals.

• Dragon Shrimp Miropandalus hardingi

  The dragon shrimp (Miropandalus hardingi) is a spiny, knobbly shrimp that lives on whip corals and comes in striking green and red colour forms.

• Harlequin Shrimp Hymenocera picta

  The harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta) is a spectacular shrimp with white body, pink or purple spots and huge, flattened claws, which feeds only on sea stars.

• Banded Coral Shrimp Stenopus hispidus

  The banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus), also known as the banded boxer shrimp, is a striking red-and-white banded cleaner shrimp with long white antennae and large claws.

• Spiny Tiger Shrimp Phyllognathia ceratophthalma

  The spiny tiger shrimp (Phyllognathia ceratophthalma) is a tiny, stocky shrimp with tiger-like bands and horn-like projections on its eyes.

• Bumblebee Shrimp Gnathophyllum americanum

  The bumblebee shrimp (Gnathophyllum americanum) is a small, stout shrimp with dark brown and cream bands that make it look like a bumblebee.

• Donald Duck Shrimp Leander plumosus

  The Donald Duck shrimp (Leander plumosus) is a slender, translucent shrimp with a long, upturned snout that gives it a duck-like profile.

• Clear Cleaner Shrimp Urocaridella antonbruunii

  The clear cleaner shrimp (Urocaridella antonbruunii) is a transparent cleaner shrimp with red and white spots that gathers in groups to clean fish.

• Ocellated Sawblade Shrimp Tozeuma lanceolatum

  The ocellated sawblade shrimp (Tozeuma lanceolatum) is a long, slender shrimp with a lance-like rostrum that lives among sea whips and seagrass.

• Red-striped Cleaner Shrimp Lysmatella prima

  The red-striped cleaner shrimp (Lysmatella prima) is a small, translucent shrimp with fine red stripes that lives in crevices on the reef.

• Yellow-spotted Cleaner Shrimp Urocaridella degravei

  The yellow-spotted cleaner shrimp (Urocaridella degravei) is a transparent cleaner shrimp marked with yellow and red spots.

• Common Xenia Coral Shrimp Hippolyte commensalis

  The common Xenia coral shrimp (Hippolyte commensalis) is a tiny, highly variable shrimp that lives on soft corals and comes in many colour forms.

• Humpback Soft Coral Shrimp Hippolyte dossena

  The humpback soft coral shrimp (Hippolyte dossena) is a tiny, hunched shrimp that lives on soft corals and matches their colour and texture.

• Banded Hairy Shrimp Phycocaris sp.

  The banded hairy shrimp (Phycocaris sp.) is a tiny, fuzzy shrimp marked with alternating light and dark bands across its body.

• Leafy Hairy Shrimp Phycocaris sp.

  The leafy hairy shrimp (Phycocaris sp.) is a tiny hairy shrimp with leaf-like flaps that make it resemble a scrap of seaweed.

• Ambon Crinoid Shrimp Laomenes amboinensis

  The Ambon crinoid shrimp (Laomenes amboinensis) is a small feather star shrimp, often striped, that lives among the arms of crinoids.

• Leopard Crinoid Shrimp Laomenes pardus

  The leopard crinoid shrimp (Laomenes pardus) is a feather star shrimp covered in leopard-like spots.

• White Crinoid Shrimp Laomenes sp.

  The white crinoid shrimp (Laomenes sp.) is a small, pale feather star shrimp that blends with white and cream crinoids.

• Western King Prawn Penaeus latisulcatus

  The western king prawn (Penaeus latisulcatus) is a large penaeid prawn with blue-tipped tail fan and legs, active on sandy bottoms at night.

• Simplex Shrimp Phyllognathia simplex

  The simplex shrimp (Phyllognathia simplex) is a tiny, stocky shrimp related to the spiny tiger shrimp, with a smoother body and banded colours.

• Painted Tunicate Shrimp Odontonia katoi

  The painted tunicate shrimp (Odontonia katoi) is a tiny, colourfully patterned shrimp that lives inside solitary sea squirts.

• Blue Cryptic Sponge Shrimp Gelastocaris paronai

  The blue cryptic sponge shrimp (Gelastocaris paronai) is a small shrimp that lives on and matches the colour of blue and purple sponges.

• Calcinus lineapropodus

  Calcinus lineapropodus is a small left-handed hermit crab with fine dark lines along its walking legs, from which its name comes.

• Harlequin Swimming Crab Lissocarcinus orbicularis

  The harlequin swimming crab (Lissocarcinus orbicularis) is a small, smooth crab with a bold pattern of brown or maroon patches on a white shell.

• Coral Hermit Crab Paguritta morgani

  The coral hermit crab (Paguritta morgani) is a tiny hermit crab that lives in holes in living stony coral instead of a shell.

• Flat Rock Crab Percnon planissimum

  The flat rock crab (Percnon planissimum) is a very flat, long-legged crab with a dark olive shell and banded legs.

• Striped Hermit Crab Ciliopagurus strigatus

  The striped hermit crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus) is a colourful hermit crab with bold red-orange and yellow-white bands across its legs.

• Sarasvati Anemone Shrimp Ancylomenes sarasvati

  The Sarasvati anemone shrimp (Ancylomenes sarasvati) is a small, transparent shrimp with white and purple-blue spots on its body.

• Durban Hinge-beak Shrimp Rhynchocinetes durbanensis

  The Durban hinge-beak shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) is a red shrimp with fine white lines and spots and large, bright eyes.

• Anker's Whip Coral Shrimp Pontonides ankeri

  Anker's whip coral shrimp (Pontonides ankeri) is a tiny shrimp that lives on whip corals and closely matches its host's colour.

• Sexy Shrimp Thor amboinensis

  The sexy shrimp (Thor amboinensis) is a small brown-orange shrimp with white, blue-edged patches.

• Orangutan Crab Achaeus japonicus

  The orangutan crab (Achaeus japonicus) is a small spider crab covered in long, red-brown hairs, giving it the look of a tiny orangutan.

• Peacock Mantis Shrimp Odontodactylus scyllarus

  The peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) is a large, brilliantly coloured mantis shrimp with a green body, orange legs and leopard-spotted front.

• Pink-eared Mantis Shrimp Odontodactylus latirostris

  The pink-eared mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus latirostris) is a smasher mantis shrimp named for the pink to red fans on its tail and antennae.