--- title: Shrimps (Caridea) scientific_name: Caridea common_name: Shrimps rank: Infraorder published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z updated: 2026-08-08T12:52:19.555Z tags: Shrimps, Caridea, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps --- # Shrimps (*Caridea*) ## Quick facts - **Rank:** Infraorder - **Scientific name:** Caridea - **Body shape:** Invertebrate - Not a fish - coral, mollusc, crustacean, echinoderm and other invertebrate groups. - **Species listed here:** 49 ## How to recognise this group - small size, typically 1-8 cm body length - slender, somewhat laterally compressed body - prominent rostrum and stalked eyes - two pairs of long antennae - walking legs with small pincers, varied colour patterns Caridean shrimps are marine crustaceans, typically 1-8 cm (0.4-3.1 in) in body length. They have a slender, somewhat laterally compressed body, equipped with two pairs of antennae and prominent stalked eyes. A distinguishing feature is the pleuron of the second abdominal segment, which consistently overlaps both the first and third. Many species are translucent or cryptically patterned; others exhibit bright red, white, or blue patterns. The prominent rostrum is often toothed, and the first two or three of their five pairs of walking legs (pereiopods) are typically chelate, bearing small pincers for feeding and defense. These shrimps inhabit marine environments from shallow reef crests to at least 50 m (165 ft) on fore-reef slopes. They are found among coral branches, in rocky crevices, on sandy bottoms, and in seagrass beds. Many are free-living, primarily acting as scavengers and detritivores, consuming algae, plankton, and small invertebrates. Other species form symbiotic associations; cleaner shrimps remove parasites and dead tissue from fish at prominent cleaning stations. Additional species live commensally with anemones, corals, or gobies, where they gain protection. Many caridean shrimps are nocturnal. ## Species (49) - [Anachlorocurtis Occidentalis (Anachlorocurtis occidentalis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/anachlorocurtis-occidentalis) - [Anemone Shrimp (Actinimenes inornatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/anemone-shrimp) - [Anker’s Whip Coral Shrimp (Pontonides ankeri)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/ankers-whip-coral-shrimp) - [Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/banded-cleaner-shrimp) - [Basket Star Shrimp (Lipkemenes lanipes)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/basket-star-shrimp) - [Bignose Seagrass Shrimp (Latreutes pymoeus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/bignose-seagrass-shrimp) - [Brown Grass Shrimp (Leander tenuicornis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/brown-grass-shrimp) - [Bubble Coral Shrimp (Palaemonella philippinensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/bubble-coral-shrimp) - [Candycane shrimp (Parhippolyte misticia)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/candycane-shrimp) - [Caridean Shrimp (Coralliocaris superba)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/caridean-shrimp) - [Cave Cleaner Shrimp (Urocaridella pulchella)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/cave-cleaner-shrimp) - [Clear Cleaner Shrimp (Urocaridella antonbruunii)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/clear-cleaner-shrimp) - [Comanthus Crinoid Shrimp (Pontoniopsis comanthi)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/comanthus-crinoid-shrimp) - [Commensal Sponge Shrimp (Thaumastocaris streptopus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/commensal-sponge-shrimp) - [Common Xenia Coral Shrimp (Alcyonohippolyte commensalis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/common-xenia-coral-shrimp) - [Coral Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus lottini)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/coral-snapping-shrimp) - [Crinoid shrimp (Brucecaris tenuis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/crinoid-shrimp) - [Djeddah Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus djeddensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/djeddah-snapping-shrimp) - [Egyptian prawn (Metapenaeopsis aegyptia)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/egyptian-prawn) - [Elegant Anemone Shrimp (Cuapetes elegans)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/elegant-anemone-shrimp) - [Emperor Shrimp (Zenopontonia rex)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/emperor-shrimp) - [Feather Shrimp (Microprosthema plumicorne)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/feather-shrimp) - [Fine-striped Shrimp (Alpheus ochrostriatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/fine-striped-shrimp) - [Flattened Coral Shrimp (Harpiliopsis depressa)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/flattened-coral-shrimp) - [Glass Anemone Shrimp (Ancylocaris brevicarpalis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/glass-anemone-shrimp) - [Glass Shrimp (Cuapetes tenuipes)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/glass-shrimp) - [Green Marble Shrimp (Saron neglectus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/green-marble-shrimp) - [Hairy Shrimp (Phycocaris simulans)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/hairy-shrimp) - [Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/harlequin-shrimp) - [Hendersons Hingebeak Shrimp (Cinetorhynchus hendersoni)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/hendersons-hingebeak-shrimp) - [Hingebeak Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/hingebeak-shrimp) - [Japanese Night Shrimp (Hayashidonus japonicus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/japanese-night-shrimp) - [Long-arm Cleaner Shrimp (Ancylomenes longicarpus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/long-arm-cleaner-shrimp) - [Marble Shrimp (Saron marmoratus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/marble-shrimp) - [Marbled Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus rapax)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/marbled-snapping-shrimp) - [Ornate Anemone Shrimp (Actinimenes ornatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/ornate-anemone-shrimp) - [Pinecone Marble Shrimp (Saron inermis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/pinecone-marble-shrimp) - [Red-spotted Goby Shrimp (Alpheus rubromaculatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/red-spotted-goby-shrimp) - [Reticulated Hingebeak Shrimp (Cinetorhynchus reticulatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/reticulated-hingebeak-shrimp) - [Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/scarlet-cleaner-shrimp) - [Sea-urchin Snapping Shrimp (Arete indicus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/sea-urchin-snapping-shrimp) - [Sexy Shrimp (Thor amboinensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/sexy-shrimp) - [Starfish Shrimp (Zenopontonia soror)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/starfish-shrimp) - [Striped Bumblebee Shrimp (Gnathophyllum americanum)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/striped-bumblebee-shrimp) - [Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/tiger-pistol-shrimp) - [Translucent Gorgonian Shrimp (Manipontonia psamathe)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/translucent-gorgonian-shrimp) - [Western King Prawn (Penaeus latisulcatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/western-king-prawn) - [White-Spotted Ascidian Shrimp (Dactylonia ascidicola)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/white-spotted-ascidian-shrimp) - [Zanzibar Urchin Shrimp (Tuleariocaris zanzibarica)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps/zanzibar-urchin-shrimp) --- *Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/crustaceans/shrimps)* *Updated: August 8, 2026*