Juicy and delectable, shrimp are some of the most commonly consumed marine life on the planet. But there’s more to these tasty little creatures than what goes well with cocktail sauce. Many species are actually quite interesting and attractive in appearance, leading us to wonder how they ever became a food staple of the masses! Here is a small sampling of beautiful shrimp that make their homes in the crevices of reefs or within the substrate, trying to avoid ending up on our plates.
Ghost Shrimp
This isn’t the spooky remnant of a shrimp long gone, even if the name throws you for a loop. Living in the waters off West Africa’s coast, these look to be made of clear plastic or glass. Their mostly transparent bodies offer a window into their internal structure as they swim, making this specimen entertaining and fascinating. Burrowing to live in the mud offshore, they occasionally burst out of their homes in immense swarms to mate.
Horseshoe Shrimp
One of the most primitive species at around 200 million years old, is the horseshoe shrimp. It certainly looks like what you think it would, a miniature (no more than 4mm) horseshoe crab! Unfortunately, some members of this species are endangered.
Bumblebee Shrimp
With a spotted yellow and black body, the bumblebee shrimp swims in the water of the Indo-Pacific where it makes its home. Some of them can grow to be over an inch long. Living alongside echinoderms, such as sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins, it forms a symbiotic relationship with other organisms, enabling them to coexist harmoniously.
Fire Shrimp
Also known in the aquarium trade as blood-red shrimp, these lobster lookalikes are said to be quite shy and peaceful. Found in the waters of the Indo-Pacific, this beautiful species stands out with its flame-red body and striking white spots. Its extremities maintain the bright red color of its body up until their ends, where they become a brilliant white.
Cardinal Shrimp
A snail under the sea? That is a good way to describe the tiny cardinal shrimp. Native to Sulawesi Indonesia, its all-brown body covered with a diamond-shaped pattern of bright white circles makes it resemble the common terrestrial creature many are familiar with.
