Spotted cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Periclimenes yucatanicus
- Common name
- Spotted cleaner shrimp
- Category
- Crustaceans
- Family
- Palaemonidae
- Genus
- Periclimenes
- Size
- 1–3 cm
- Depth
- 1–30 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- reef
- Behaviours
- symbiotic, cleaner
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Periclimenes yucatanicus reaches 3 cm. Tiny shrimp with a translucent body adorned with small purple saddle-shaped spots on the back, long white antennae. Lives in pairs on large Condylactis gigantea or Bartholomea anemones, offering cleaning services to approaching fish. Iconic Caribbean macro subject, accessible on anemones sometimes photographable at 1 m depth. From 1 to 30 m.
Photo of Spotted cleaner shrimp
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Spotted cleaner shrimp?
- Spotted cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus) reaches 1–3 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Spotted cleaner shrimp?
- Spotted cleaner shrimp is found between 1–30 m deep.
- Is the Spotted cleaner shrimp dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Spotted cleaner shrimp?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Spotted cleaner shrimp?
- Found in: Caribbean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Periclimenes
- Periclimenes imperator - Emperor shrimp
- Periclimenes amethysteus - Amethyst shrimp
- Periclimenes scriptus - Inscribed shrimp
Other species in the family Palaemonidae
- Ancylomenes pedersoni - Pederson's cleaner shrimp
- Hymenocera picta - Harlequin shrimp
- Palaemon elegans - Rockpool prawn
- Phyllognathia ceratophthalma - Indo-Pacific Mandarin Shrimp
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 421713)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2225117)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia