Shrimps
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Hingebeak Shrimp / Rhynchocinetes uritai / Family Rhynchocinetidae |
About 50 per cent of all the mantis shrimps, krill and crabs in Australia are found on the Great Barrier Reef. There are at least 1030 species from 358 genera in 81 families. Shrimps are among the most diverse and active animals on the Reef, performing a wide range of different roles.
Like crabs, crayfish and prawns, shrimps belong to the Class Malacostraca from the Greek word meaning 'soft shell' and the Order Decapoda, from another Greek word meaning 'ten feet.' As these names suggest, the group is characterised by having five pairs of walking legs, with the first pair modified to form pincers.
Mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimps (Odontodactylus scyllarus) are voracious predators, feeding on other crustaceans and small fish - they are also known as 'prawn killers.'
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Mantis shrimp / Family - Squillidae / Subclass - Stomatopoda |
Those Mantis shrimps that possess clubs use them to smash the legs off other crustaceans and to crack their shells open. They can also smash snail and clam shells to feed on the soft tissue inside.
Those with spear-like claws use them to strike and kill fish and other animals.
Mantis shrimps can strike their prey at the speed of a 0.22 calibre bullet. They are difficult to keep in captivity because they can smash aquarium glass up to 2 centimetres thick.
Banded coral shrimp
The banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) is one of the best known cleaner shrimp species. They clean parasites and excess mucus from fish. Their long antennae and red and white bodies are a distinctive feature on the Reef. Usually found in pairs, the male is normally smaller than the female. The female has aqua blue ovaries that can be seen easily through her body during reproduction.
Pistol shrimp
Pistol shrimps can kill small fish up to 1.8 metres away by sending a shock wave through the water when they snap their large right claws.
Alpheid shrimp and gobies
A number of alpheid shrimps live together in symbiotic relationships with different species of gobies. The shrimp excavates and constantly tends to the burrow while the gobies act as sentinels. In the event of danger, the gobies retreat into the burrow, giving the shrimp a warning.
