The cleaning mutualism between the shrimp, Lysmata grabhami (Malacostraca: Hippolytidae) and fish, with description of a new interaction with Mycteroperca fusca (Actinopterygii: Serranidae) from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

The activity of Lysmata grabhami as cleaner shrimp is well known, and its cleaning mutalism with many client fish species in different biogeographic areas have been documented. The literature reviewed resulted in 49 fish species belonging to 15 families to be cleaned at both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Overall, Muraenidae, Serranidae, Pomacentridae, Holocentridae and Acanthuridae were the families that accounted more species of client fish; both families and the pool of species were different at Western and Eastern Atlantic. This work reports and describes a new cleaning interaction between the cleaner shrimp, L. grabhami (Gordon, 1935), and the island grouper, Mycteroperca fusca (Lowe, 1838) from the Canary Islands, North-eastern Atlantic Ocean.