Blue boxer shrimp (Stenopus tenuirostris)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Stenopus tenuirostris
- Common name
- Blue boxer shrimp
- Category
- Crustaceans
- Family
- Stenopodidae
- Genus
- Stenopus
- Size
- 3–6 cm
- Depth
- 3–40 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef, cave
- Behaviours
- pair, cleaner
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific
Description
Stenopus tenuirostris reaches 6 cm. Cleaner shrimp with elongated bluish-white body with white-red-black tail and claws, characteristic pointed rostrum, large boxing-shaped claws of third pair of legs. Extremely long white antennae. Lives in pairs in caves, overhangs and coral reefs from 3 to 40 m in western and central Indo-Pacific. Listed LC. Fish cleaner, cleans parasites and dead skin. Cousin of Caribbean S. hispidus. Iconic accessible macro photo subject.
Photo of Blue boxer shrimp
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Blue boxer shrimp?
- Blue boxer shrimp (Stenopus tenuirostris) reaches 3–6 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Blue boxer shrimp?
- Blue boxer shrimp is found between 3–40 m deep.
- Is the Blue boxer shrimp dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Blue boxer shrimp?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Blue boxer shrimp?
- Found in: Asian Pacific.
Other species in the genus Stenopus
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 210368)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 5716842)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia