Harlequin Shrimp

Photo: Christian Gloor · CC BY

Harlequin shrimp are found in mated pairs at Kal's Dream, their striking white bodies covered in bold purple-edged spots making them immediately recognizable as they drag sea stars — their exclusive food source — to a sheltered spot for leisurely consumption. By feeding only on sea stars, they play a specialized ecological role in regulating echinoderm populations on reef and rubble substrates. Pairs maintain long-term monogamous bonds, coordinating prey capture cooperatively, and the female dominates feeding access when both are present at a food item.