Goby helps Blind Shrimp

The shrimp goby and the pistol shrimp share a very special relationship. Biologists call it a symbiotic relationship where different species help each other to survive. In the case of the shrimp and the goby, it is an amazing one.

The pistol shrimp are very apt at creating and maintaining burrows in poor sand conditions where parts of the burrows often collapse. This provides a safe haven for the shrimp goby. In return, the goby acts as an early warning system for the almost blind pistol shrimp. This is achieved by a constant physical contact between the shrimp and the goby. The shrimp will always try to keep an antennae on the goby to receive signals from the goby if there is a threat. The goby also signals the shrimp when it's safe to go outside.

One puzzling aspect of the relationship is how the shrimp and goby choose their partners. There are much speculations and the best possible explanation right now is that the shrimp uses its more developed chemical senses while the goby uses its sight to seek out a partner when they are young.