Harlequin shrimp are slow-moving crustaceans with a distinctive shape. They are colored white with pale patches of blue, purple, or orange-red.
There are two known species—Hymenocera picta in Hawaii and H. elegans in the Indo-Pacific.
They feed on starfish, often eating their prey slowly from the tip of the legs inwards, to keep the starfish alive and fresh for as long as possible.
Upon seeing a starfish, the shrimp will try to flip it over, and then drag it back to its territory.
These shrimp normally live in pairs with fairly marked sexual dimorphism: the male is smaller with white plates at the base of its abdomen, while the larger female has colored plates. Breeding takes place after molting.
In this video, you can see an adult shrimp, H. picta, dragging a sea star back to its lair with a juvenile shrimp accompanying it.
Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.
Matthew is on Twitter @matthewoldfield. More of his photos can be found at matthew-oldfield-photography.com
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