The dentist of the sea: Shrimp is happy to clean food and parasites from mouths of fish

This cleaner shrimp fulfilled its role as the 'dentist of the sea' as it cleared parasites and food remains from the mouth of a fish.
The white grouper fish - covered in red blotches - opened wide to allow the orange shrimp inside for its regular check-up.
Davide Lopresti, 33, snapped the scene 23 metres below the surface off Tulamben, north Bali.

Say ahh: A white grouper fish - covered in red blotches - opens wide to allow the orange shrimp inside for its regular check-up off Tulamben, north Bali

Tricky: Mr Lopresti, from Portovenere, Italy, said it was very difficult to photograph

The 33-year-old - who described the area as the 'Holy Grail' for underwater macro photographers - got to within 1ft of the fish.
He said: 'The grouper allows the shrimp to clean his mouth of food remains and parasites, so it will always have a clean mouth.
'It also gives the shrimp an easy food source.
'The grouper is very patient, but as soon it says stop - by making a little movement - the shrimp goes away.

The cleaner shrimp was pictured clearing parasites and food remains from the mouth of a fish

Mr Lopresti said: 'The grouper allows the shrimp to clean his mouth of food remains and parasites, so it will always have a clean mouth'

'The shrimp can spend all day doing the cleaning and is not at risk of being eaten.'
The grouper measures around 15in long, and the shrimp 2in.
Mr Lopresti, from Portovenere, Italy, added: 'It is very difficult to photograph because the grouper is very vulnerable to attack from predators while being cleaned so you have to be very quiet.'