Pederson cleaner shrimp (Ancylomenes pedersoni)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, description from Wikipedia.
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The original uploader was Aquaimages at English Wikipedia. · via Wikipedia: Ancylomenes pedersoni · CC BY-SA 2.5
Ancylomenes pedersoni, sometimes known as Pederson's shrimp and Pederson's cleaner shrimp, is a species of cleaner shrimp. It is part of the genus Ancylomenes and was described in 1958 by Fenner A. Chace Jr. as Periclimenes pedersoni. Ancylomenes pedersoni is found in the Caribbean Sea, often associated with a sea anemone, at depths of 1 to 15 m. They are often found on the reefs off Bermuda.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- CladePancrustacea
- ClassMalacostraca
- OrderDecapoda
- SuborderPleocyemata
- InfraorderCaridea
- FamilyPalaemonidae
- GenusAncylomenes
- SpeciesAncylomenes pedersoni
Named by (Chace, 1958)
Close relatives
Other species of Ancylomenes with a Codexery entry.
- Ancylomenes magnificus Ancylomenes magnificus
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Ancylomenes pedersoni (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 514493 (CC BY 4.0)
Where the pederson cleaner shrimp (ancylomenes pedersoni) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (3,410 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 12 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 1 isolated far-off record not drawn.
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Arthropoda · Class: Malacostraca · Order: Decapoda · Family: Palaemonidae · Genus: Ancylomenes.
Accepted name: Ancylomenes pedersoni · Authority: (Chace, 1958) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 514493.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Ancylomenes anthophilus (Holthuis & Eibl-Eibeslfeldt, 1964); Periclimenes (Periclimenes) anthophilus Holthuis & Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1964; Periclimenes (Periclimenes) pedersoni Chace, 1958; Periclimenes pedersoni Chace, 1958.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=514493 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Ancylomenes pedersoni. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Depth range: 1–35 m · Habitat zone: benthic.
SeaLifeBase notes: Epibiotic (Ref. 97531). Dwells in reef habitats in Belize. Forms obligate associations with sea anemones (Ref. 128695).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 24495) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Ancylomenes-pedersoni.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
3,410 georeferenced occurrence records for Ancylomenes pedersoni are published through GBIF from 32 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 104 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 13 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Puerto Rico (1,979); Guadeloupe (346); United States of America (203); Martinique (133); Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (129).
The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 6456679) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=6456679&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=514493 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Pederson's shrimp is a small transparent shrimp with bluish and violet markings on the body and long white antennae and within its range is unlikely to be confused with other species.
Pederson's shrimp lives in association with a sea anemone, either Bartholomea annulata or Condylactis gigantea, living among the tentacles with impunity. Before it can do this it needs to acclimatise itself to the anemone by progressively pressing its body and appendages against the tentacles for increasing periods of time. After this it is able to move between the tentacles without getting stung but if it is separated from its host for a few days, it will need to repeat the immunizing procedure.
Up to 26 shrimps have been found associated with one sea anemone but usually there are just one or two. The shrimp offers cleaning services to passing fish and attracts their attention by lashing its antennae about. Fish visiting the cleaning station will remain stationary while their external parasites are removed and eaten by the shrimp, which even cleans inside the gill covers and the mouth. If a neon goby sets up a cleaning station nearby, the shrimp will clean the client fish at the same time as the goby does.
Researchers have shown that fish recognise the sea anemone Bartholomea annulata as being a place at which the shrimps' services are likely to be available. The larger the sea anemone, the more likely fish are to visit it.
Source: Wikipedia: Ancylomenes pedersoni — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancylomenes_pedersoni (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Related in Pederson cleaner shrimp
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in Pederson cleaner shrimp
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Ancylomenes pedersoni (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: SeaLifeBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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