Common name : Imperial cleaner shrimp,Emperor partner shrimp
Scientific name : Periclimenes imperator
Family : Palaemonidae
Native to : Indo-Pacific region
Interesting fact : The emperor shrimp will perform a manicure if a diver happens to put his hand near it.
Conservation status : Not Evaluated
You can find emperor shrimps hanging upside down, on nudibrachs, holothurians, sea slugs and sea cucumbers with which they form commensalistic relationships. Its red body has white lines and purple-tipped claws. These 1.9 cm long creatures eat up the host’s ectoparasites while the host gives them protection. They also feed on algae and plankton.
