Palaemonidae

Palaemonidae is a family of shrimp in the order Decapoda. Two subfamilies are distinguished: Palaemoninae and Pontoniinae. The Palaemoninae are mainly carnivores that eat small invertebrates and can be found in any aquatic habitat except the deep sea. The most significant palaemonine genus is Macrobrachium, which contains commercial species such as Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The Pontoniinae inhabit coral reefs, where they associate with certain invertebrates such as sponges, cnidarians, mollusks and echinoderms. This group includes cleaner shrimps as well as parasites and commensals. They generally feed on detritus, though some are carnivores and hunt tiny animals.