Harlequin Shrimp

Hymenocera picta

Sighting evidence at Mandarin Alley, Kapalai Island

Harlequin shrimp pairs inhabit the rubble patches beneath the resort stilts, hunting sea stars exclusively — they immobilise the starfish and consume them slowly over several days, keeping the prey alive to prevent decomposition. Their bold blue and white spotted patterning is aposematic, deterring potential predators from attempting to eat them. Kapalai's sheltered shallow-water environment is ideal for locating mated pairs, which remain together for life.

Evidence at this site

1 record within 25 km

Confidence: low

Last confirmed Apr 2026

Seasonality

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How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Harlequin Shrimp

Evidence at this site

Seasonality

Also seen at other sites