Please ID this shrimp

[xtm]

I found him on one of my Acropora colony.. not sure if he was feeding on polyps but he was nibbling something. I plucked him out..
thanks in advance!

 

[LeslieH]

That looks like the snapping shrimp Alpheus lottini which is an obligate symbiont of pocillopora corals. One of it's common names is "Coral Guard Snapping Shrimp" because it actively protects the host coral against predators like the crown-of-thorns seastar. They feed on the coral's mucus. One mated pair dominate each coral and drive off other adults; multiple juveniles will live on the coral as well until they mature & either drive off one of the established dominates or move to another coral. Obligate symbionts normally don't live too long on non-host organisms but hopefully yours will. Unless of course you've already flushed him! :lol:

 

[xtm]

Thanks for the ID Leslie.. he's already gone