Golden Coral Shrimp

Crustacean

Identification & Biology

• IdentificationA small, vivid orange to golden-yellow shrimp with long white antennae and white-tipped walking legs. The body is slender and almost transparent with bright orange-gold banding. One of the most colourful shrimp species in the Mediterranean.
• SizeBody length up to 5 cm. A small but visually striking species.
• Social HabitFound in pairs or small groups, usually in dark caves and overhangs. Acts as a cleaner shrimp, removing parasites from fish that visit its station.
• HabitatDark caves, deep overhangs, and crevices in rocky reefs. Strongly associated with dimly lit or dark environments.
• Depth5 to 40 m. Most commonly found in cave environments between 10 and 30 m.
• Feeds OnParasites and dead tissue picked from visiting fish, plus small organic particles and detritus.
• DistributionMediterranean Sea and adjacent eastern Atlantic. Present in Maltese waters wherever suitable cave habitat exists.
• DescriptionStenopus spinosus is one of the highlights of any cave dive in Malta. Its brilliant golden colouring stands out vividly against dark cave walls, and it can often be seen waving its white antennae to attract fish to its cleaning station. It is the Mediterranean equivalent of the tropical banded coral shrimp and fills a similar ecological role as a parasite cleaner.