Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

Photo: harryskelly · CC BY-NC

Cleaner wrasse operate the stations that attract manta rays, establishing territories on specific coral heads and advertising their services through a characteristic dancing movement. They are critical ecosystem engineers — removing ectoparasites that would otherwise reduce their clients' fitness — and their station location determines where mantas will reliably appear. Each wrasse defends its cleaning territory aggressively against other small fish, while the largest clients queue patiently.