Banded Coral Shrimp in Cozumel
Banded Coral Shrimp (*Stenopus hispidus*) in Cozumel: how to identify it, where cleaning stations are, and what it is confused with.
Bold red-and-white banded claws and body with very long white antennae waving from a crevice. Usually in pairs.
Quick ID
| Scientific name | Stenopus hispidus |
|---|---|
| Group | Crustaceans — Lobster, Shrimp & Crabs |
| Typical size | 3–6 cm body, antennae much longer |
| Depth range | 3–30 m |
| When to see it | Year-round |
| Active | Day and night |
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Notes | — |
Where You Will See It In Cozumel
Overhangs and crevices at Palancar Caves, Yucab and Villa Blanca — look under ledges rather than on top of coral.
Reliable sites: Palancar Caves, Yucab, Villa Blanca Wall.
Behaviour
A cleaner shrimp. The waving white antennae are an advertisement: fish queue at the station and hold still, and the shrimp removes parasites and dead tissue, including from inside the mouths of morays.
Commonly Confused With
- Pederson cleaner shrimp — Pederson shrimp are small, transparent with purple spots, and live on anemones.
- Scarlet-striped cleaning shrimp — That species has continuous stripes down the back rather than discrete bands and banded claws.
Diving Etiquette And Safety
Nothing required. If a fish is holding still at a cleaning station, wait — swimming through it scatters the queue.
Part of the Cozumel marine life guide · see Cozumel dive sites · plan your Cozumel dive trip
Photo: Esquilo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
