Local Distribution and Habitats
a) Local distribution
Stenopus hispidus is widely distributed in Australia. It is believed to be living from Rottnest Island (Western Australia), across northern Australia to southern New South Wales. Locally, S. hispidus is distributed all along the great barrier reef.
b) Habitat
Stenopus hispidus is a reef associated shrimp-like decapods. Its habitat is found in reef and coral reef. The habitat extend to its range of distribution (refer to distribution).
In area where protection is poor, they do not normally inhabit the very shallow, turbulent water. They habitually live at depths of two to four meters. However, some cleaner shrimps have been observed just below the low tide line but in these areas the water is very calm.
The maximum depth where they have been recorded so far is not exceeding 210 meters (Holthuis, 1946). They do not need a big amount of space to establish and possibly stay in an area approximately a square meter several months, perhaps years.
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