Bow before Z. rex! 🦐 Better known as the emperor shrimp (Zenopontonia rex), this tiny crustacean can be found throughout tropical waters in the Indo-Pacific. Notice its colorful “throne?” This species is a hitchhiker that can most often be found riding on the backs of marine organisms like sea cucumbers and nudibranchs! Thanks to this living arrangement, the shrimp is able to move from location to location with ease and can more effectively avoid predators. What’s in it for the nudibranchs and sea cucumbers? Scientists think the emperor shrimp might “clean” its hosts by removing harmful parasites, but this has yet to be determined.
Photo: Julian Hsu, CC BY-NC 4.0, iNaturalist



















