Gorgonian Horned Shrimp

Image: liquidguru
Miropandalus hardingi

Hey! I didn't know shrimp had their own Satan!

Image: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋)

Oh. OK. Not so Satanic, this one. It's probably for the best - at 2 cm (0.8 in) long, even shrimp would be unimpressed!

Gorgonian Horned Shrimp are also known as Dragon Shrimp, which is good because they don't seem to spend much time on Gorgonians at all. These peculiar crustaceans much prefer life on Whip Corals.

Video: liquidguru

Like other shrimp who cling onto the slim branches of Whip and Wire Corals, they have a wide variety of colouration so as to disappear into the tentacular foliage. They even have demonic horns running along their back which appear to mimic the actual tentacles and polyps.

Also they got eyes on stalks. It's always nice to see eyes on stalks.

Image: Nick Hobgood

With their coral friends, the Horned Shrimp is pretty much set for life. They needn't go anywhere else ever again. Which is good because those short, chunky legs wouldn't take that rotund body far. This shrimp is made to stay exactly where it is.

Nice to know that even the Shrimp Satan can relax. Even if it is nestled in a column of stinging tentacles.