Banded Coral Shrimp

Photo: uwkwaj · CC BY-NC

Banded coral shrimp operate cleaning stations in the sponge-lined crevices of the Tesoro Island reef, their bold red-and-white banding and long white antennae making them easy to spot as they wave to attract client fish. They are obligate monogamous pairs — each cleaning station is occupied by one male-female couple that defends their territory vigorously against other shrimp. Fish clients including parrotfish, groupers, and moray eels queue at active stations and adopt a head-up stationary pose to signal their willingness to be cleaned.