Mantis shrimps، also known as stomatopods، comprise the order Stomatopoda. They are carnivorous marine crustaceans with more than 450 species known. They also belong to the group Crustacea، which are hard-shelled animals، such as crabs، lobsters، crayfish، shrimp، krill.
Mantis shrimps typically grow to around 10 cm (3.9 in) in length and range in color from shades of brown to vivid colors. They are most commonly found in U shaped burrows at the base of coral reefs. Depending on the species، they can be active during the day or entirely nocturnal.
Some mantis shrimp species have specialized clubs that can strike with great power، while others have sharp forelimbs used to seize the prey، which is where the species gets the term mantis in its common name. They are also thought to have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom and have the most complex visual system ever discovered.
They can inflict painful wounds if handled incorrectly and have the nickname ‘thumb splitter’، but are regularly caught for human consumption in certain countries. In Japanese cuisine، these animals are eaten boiled as a sushi topping، and occasionally raw as sashimi. They are also kept in captivity by saltwater aquarists، particularly those that are more colorful.
While mantis shrimps are abundant and among the most important predators in many shallow، tropical and subtropical marine habitats، they are poorly understood، as many species spend most of their lives tucked away in burrows and holes. They are not considered to be threatened or endangered by the IUCN.
Mantis Shrimp Characteristics
Despite their name، the mantis shrimp is not a shrimp، and it’s not related to the praying mantis، either. They do، however، get their name from their appearance. They have a second pair of prey-catching arms that are greatly enlarged، like mantises.
Mantis shrimp usually grow to around 10 cm (3.9 in) in length، while a few can reach up to 38 cm (15 in). They have a carapace، the hard، thick shell that covers crustaceans and some other species، although this covers only the rear part of the head and the first four segments of the thorax. These species can vary greatly in color، with some being very brightly colored and patterned، and others being more plain and brown.
Appendages
Species of mantis shrimp can be divided based on their second pair of thoracic appendages. These have been highly adapted for powerful close-range attacks، and group mantis shrimp into two main types: spearers and smashers.
Spearers have spiny appendages which are used to impale their prey. Smashers، on the other hand، have a much more developed club that allow them to deliver a powerful blow to their prey. The inner part of the club appendage also possesses a sharp edge، which is used to cut prey while the mantis shrimp swims.
Beneath their hard coated clubs، mantis shrimp have special layers of elastic polysaccharide chitin، which are positioned in a way to act as shock absorbers. This structure is called a bouligand structure.
Both these types of appendages allow the mantis shrimp to prey on animals much larger than them. Their punch is so fast it results in ‘cavitation’ bubbles. This is a super heated bubble and small flash of light، which for split seconds also generates a temperature of 4،400c، nearly as hot as the sun، in the surrounding water. When the bubbles collapses they cause an intense shockwave which is like a double punch and can stun، dismember or kill prey instantly، even if the mantis shrimp misses the target!
Eyes
Another unique and interesting feature of the mantis shrimp is its eyes. Their eyes are thought to be the most complex in the animal kingdom، with great color and depth perception، as well as polarisation sensitivity، making their brains more efficient.
The eyes of the mantis shrimp are mounted on mobile stalks and can move independently of each other. While humans have three types of photoreceptor cells، mantis shrimp have 12 to 16 types of photoreceptor cells. It is believed that mantis shrimp can take all visual information into their brains immediately without having to process it، allowing them to react instantly to the environment.
Each mantis shrimp eye has ‘trinocular vision’، which means it can gauge depth and distance on its own by focusing on objects with three separate regions. They can see a special spiralling type of light called circularly polarised light that’s not been documented in any other animal.
Mantis Shrimp Lifespan
In the wild، a mantis shrimp usually live for between three to six years on average، but with proper care and diet، these species tend to live longer in captivity.
Mantis Shrimp Diet
The diet of the mantis shrimp can vary from species to species، and depends on whether the species is a spearer or a smasher. Smashers can attack crabs، snails، rock oysters، and other molluscs، while spearers prefer the meat of softer animals، such as fish، squid، worms and octopus.
Smashers use their blunt clubs to crack the shells of their prey into pieces. This group actively searches and pursues their prey outside of their home burrow.
Spearers use their barbed claws to slice and snag the softer meat of their prey. They prefer to use ambush as their hunting strategy. They hide within a burrow and swiftly strike out when prey wanders too close.
Mantis Shrimp Behavior
Mantis shrimp are aggressive and typically solitary sea creatures that spend most of their time hiding in rock formations or burrowing passageways in the sea bed. They rarely leave their homes except to feed and relocate، and can be active during the day، nocturnal، or crepuscular (active at twilight)، depending on the species. Unlike most crustaceans، they sometimes hunt، chase، and kill prey.
The mantis shrimp is highly intelligent. They exhibit complex social behaviour، with ritualized fighting and protective activities. Some species use fluorescent patterns on their bodies for signalling with their own and maybe even other species. They can recognize others by visual signs and even by individual smell.
Mantis Shrimp Reproduction
Some mantis shrimp are monogamous and can remain with the same partner for up to 20 years. However، in some species، the males and females only come together to mate.
In a lifetime، they can have as many as 20 or 30 breeding episodes. Both sexes often take care of the eggs (bi-parental care). In other species، the female looks after the eggs while the male hunts for both of them. After the eggs hatch، the offspring may spend up to three months as plankton.
Mantis Shrimp Location and Habitat
Mantis shrimp can be found in nearly every sea. While some mantis shrimp live in temperate seas، most species live in tropical and subtropical waters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans between eastern Africa and Hawaii.
They live in burrows، where they spend the majority of their time. The two different categories of shrimp — smashing and spearing — have different preferences of location for burrowing. The spearing type build their habitat in soft sediments and the smashing species make burrows in hard substrata or coral cavities.
Mantis shrimp use their burrows for consuming their prey، as well as for mating and for keeping their eggs safe. As these shrimp grow، they may need to find new habitats to live in to fit their size. However، some spearing species can modify their pre-existing habitat if the burrow is made of silt or mud and expand it to fit them.
Mantis Shrimp Conservation Status
Mantis shrimps are considered widespread throughout their range and، therefore، are not thought to be threatened or endangered. They are، however، caught for both food and for the aquarium trade.
In Aquariums
Some species of mantis shrimp are highly desired for keeping in aquariums، because of their unique colors. However، these animals require special، stronger aquariums. Their strength can result in live rock and glass breakage. They have also been known to attack their own reflection through the aquarium glass، and attack other animals living in the tank with them.
As Food
In some parts of the world، mantis shrimp is considered a delicacy. In Japan، Japanese mantis shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria) is known as shako (???، ??) and eaten as sushi. They are also caught in Vietnam، China، the Mediterranean and the Philippines as food.
Mantis Shrimp Predators
Mantis shrimp do not have many natural predators. The biggest predators are those that can swallow the mantis shrimp whole، such as sharks and orcas. In reality، the biggest prey on mantis shrimp are humans.
Mantis Shrimp Fun Facts
The peacock mantis shrimp has been recorded striking at speeds up to 23 meters per second، which is the equivalent of a .22 caliber gun!
They are one of the only animals that can hunt the deadly blue-ringed octopus.
The eyes of mantis shrimp can detect both cancer and neuron activity.
Mantis shrimps have been around for nearly 400 million years!
Mantis Shrimp Taxonomy
Mantis shrimp belong to the order Stomatopoda، with all living species in the suborder Unipeltata. The order Stomatopoda is the only order in the subclass Hoplocarida، which belongs to the much larger class Malacostraca. Malacostraca is the largest of the six classes of crustaceans، containing about 40،000 living species.
There are around 450 species of mantis shrimp، which belong to seven superfamilies، broken down into 17 families. Take a look at the breakdown of these superfamilies and families below.
Bathysquilloidea
Bathysquillidae
Indosquillidae
Gonodactyloidea
Alainosquillidae
Hemisquillidae
Gonodactylidae
Odontodactylidae
Protosquillidae
Pseudosquillidae
Takuidae
Erythrosquilloidea
Erythrosquillidae
Lysiosquilloidea
Coronididae
Lysiosquillidae
Nannosquillidae
Tetrasquillidae
Squilloidea
Squillidae
Eurysquilloidea
Eurysquillidae
Parasquilloidea
Parasquillidae
Mantis Shrimp Species
With around 450 species of mantis shrimp، it would be impossible to name all of them here. However، we can take a look at some of the most common types of mantis shrimp، and what superfamily and family they belong to. Some of these have common names، while others do not.
Peacock mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Odontodactylidae
Genus: Odontodactylus
Species: Odontodactylus scyllarus
The peacock mantis shrimp، also known as the harlequin mantis shrimp، painted mantis shrimp، clown mantis shrimp or rainbow mantis shrimp، is found in the Indo-Pacific، ranging from Guam to East Africa، and as far South as Northern KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.
It is a large mantis shrimp، ranging in size from 3 to 18 cm (1.2 to 7.1 in). They are primarily green with orange legs and leopard-like spots on the anterior carapace. This mantis shrimp is a smasher، with club-shaped raptorial appendages.
The peacock mantis shrimp is kept by some saltwater aquarists. Other aquarists consider them harmful pests because they will eat other inhabitants in the tank.
Zebra mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Lysiosquilloidea
Family: Lysiosquillidae
Genus: Lysiosquillina
Species: Lysiosquillina maculata
The zebra mantis shrimp، also known as the striped mantis shrimp or razor mantis، is found cross the Indo-Pacific region from East Africa to the Gal?pagos and Hawaiian Islands.
This mantis shrimp is the largest mantis shrimp in the world، measuring at a length of up to 40 cm. The zebra mantis shrimp is a spearer shrimp and has a spring and latch structure at the base of their raptorial appendages that allows them to create a spring-loaded strike when hunting.
Purple spot mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Gonodactylidae
Genus: Gonodactylus
Species: Gonodactylus smithii
The purple spot mantis shrimp is found from New Caledonia to the western part of the Indian Ocean، including Australia’s north coast and the Great Barrier Reef.
This species of mantis shrimp is a smasher. They can be green to dark green with red raptorial dactyls and yellow antennal scales، although also often have a maroon body color. The distinguishing feature، that gives the species its name، is a purple metal spot on the body.
Japanese mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Squilloidea
Family: Squillidae
Genus: Oratosquilla
Species: Oratosquilla oratoria
The Japanese mantis shrimp is found in the Western Pacific، in the oceans near Korea، Japan، Taiwan، China، and Vietnam، at depths of 10 to 100 metres (33 to 328 ft).
This mantis shrimp is light grey to light brown with dark red grooves running down the thorax and abdomen. It grows to a length of 185 millimetres (7.3 in). It is considered to be a type in between spearer and smashers.
The Japanese mantis shrimp is widely harvested in Japan where it is known as shako (???، ??) and eaten as sushi. It is most tasty during the period of spring as it is their breeding season and is occasionally also eaten with its roe.
Common mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Parasquilloidea
Family: Pseudosquillidae
Genus: Pseudosquilla
Species: Pseudosquilla ciliata
The common mantis shrimp، also known as the rainbow mantis shrimp or false mantis shrimp، is found in the tropical Indo-Pacific region and in both the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean، from from the lower shore down to a depth of at least 86 m (282 ft).
The color of this mantis shrimp varies greatly depending on its environment — those living in a sea grass flat will often turn green، while those living in coralline algae will often turn red. they may also range from yellowish to near black in color and may be plain، marbled or striped. This mantis shrimp can reach total length of 95 millimetres (3.7 in). It is a spearer mantis shrimp.
The common mantis shrimp is sometimes kept in reef aquaria where it is hardy and safe with larger gastropods and crabs.
Philippine mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Gonodactylidae
Genus: Gonodactylaceus
Species: Gonodactylaceus falcatus
The Philippine mantis shrimp is found in the Indo-Pacific and Hawaiian Islands. It may grow to about 6 cm in length and is generally dark green or reddish brown in color. It is a smasher mantis shrimp.
Green mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Gonodactylidae
Genus: Gonodactylellus
Species: Gonodactylellus viridis
The green mantis shrimp is found in the Western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean، from the Andaman sea to Samoa and Japan. It resides in very shallow waters، up to 2 m in depth.
The color of the mantis shrimp can vary based on where its habitat is — it can be green from reef and grass flats، white from sand flats، and red from coralline algae — and frequently has fine white spots. It is a smasher.
The green mantis shrimp is kept in aquariums، it is occasionally shipped by collectors in Indonesia where it is a common reef flat species.
Caribbean striped mantis shrimp
Superfamily: Lysiosquilloidea
Family: Lysiosquillidae
Genus: Lysiosquillina
Species: Lysiosquillina glabriuscula
The Caribbean striped mantis shrimp is found in the Caribbean، from South Carolina to Panama and Brazil and resides from shallow depths to at least 40 m deep.
This mantis shrimp is a spearer and can either be striped pale cream and tan or tan and brown in color. It measures between 15 and 22 cm in length. The Caribbean striped mantis shrimp is rarely found in aquariums because it can be difficult to take care of.
Squilla empusa
Superfamily: Squilloidea
Family: Squillidae
Genus: Squilla
Species: Squilla empusa
Squilla empusa is found in coastal areas of the western Atlantic Ocean، with a range extending from Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico. It is also reported from Brazil and the Mediterranean Sea. It lives in a U-shaped burrow in soft sediment on the seabed at depths from the intertidal zone down to about 150 m (500 ft).
This mantis shrimp grows to a length of around 30 cm (12 in). It is a spearer shrimp.
Gonodactylus chiragra
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Gonodactylidae
Genus: Gonodactylus
Species: Gonodactylus chiragra
Gonodactylus chiragra is distributed widely throughout the West Indo-Pacific، in shallow water in the upper intertidal zone around boulders and coral heads where prey is available. It is a medium to large mantis shrimp، growing to a maximum length of 105 millimetres. Males range in color from brown to a dark green، and females from a grey/green to white.
This mantis shrimp is a smasher with clubs on their second pair of thoracic appendages. They are one of the largest smashers and employ a unique fighting strategy in which they circle around the target and aim at the head.
Gonodactylus chiragra is considered one of the most aggressive species of mantis shrimp and when in captivity، routinely strike glass walls and air tubes in the aquarium.
Neogonodactylus curacaoensis
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Gonodactylidae
Genus: Neogonodactylus
Species: Neogonodactylus curacaoensis
Neogonodactylus curacaoensis is found in the Caribbean، from Florida to Panama and Curacao. It inhabits coral reefs، at depths from 3 to 50 m.
This mantis shrimp ranges in size from 7 to 70 mm and is brown، olive or light green in color. It has white spots on its back and is a smasher.
Neogonodactylus curacaoensis is occasionally kept in aquariums، although can be somewhat difficult. It is very shy and requires very stable، good water parameters.
Squilla mantis
Superfamily: Squilloidea
Family: Squillidae
Genus: Squilla
Species: Squilla mantis
Squilla mantis is found in shallow coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.
This mantis shrimp is a spearer، and grows up to 200 millimetres (8 in) long. It is generally dull brown in color، but has two brown eye spots، circled in white، at the base of the telson.
Thanks to its abundance، Squilla mantis is the only commercially fished mantis shrimp in the Mediterranean. Other species — including smashers — are also sold in the aquarium trade as Squilla mantis.
Hemisquilla californiensis
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Hemisquillidae
Genus: Hemisquilla
Species: Hemisquilla californiensis
Hemisquilla californiensis is found in California، around Santa Barbara. It lives at depths of between 10 and 50 m.
At 3.5 to 32 cm long، this species of mantis shrimp is largest of all smashers. It is brown with blue walking legs and antennules، yellow raptorial appendages and blue uropods with red setae.
In spring، Hemisquilla californiensis is occasionally taken by trawlers and sold commercially for food. It can be an aquarium species، but is hard to keep.
Rissoides desmaresti
Superfamily: Squilloidea
Family: Squillidae
Genus: Rissoides
Species: Rissoides desmaresti
Rissoides desmaresti is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is one of only two species of stomatopod found around the British Isles، and one of twelve species in the Mediterranean. It lives in burrows below from the subtidal zone down to depths of around 40 metres (130 ft).
Rissoides desmaresti has a flattened body and may reach a size of 70 millimetres (2.8 in). It is a spearer mantis shrimp.
Gonodactylaceus ternatensis
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Gonodactylidae
Genus: Gonodactylaceus
Species: Gonodactylaceus ternatensis
Gonodactylaceus ternatensis is found in the Central Pacific to southern China، Indonesia، Vietnam، Thailand and Australia. It usually resides in bright، shallow waters up to 10 m in depth.
These mantis shrimp reach a length of between 8 and 120 mm and are the largest species of gonodactylid. They are sexually color dimorphic، the body of both sexes is dark green with red inter-segmental stripes، but males have blue antennal scales and uropods، while females have orange or yellow antennal scales and uropods. It is a smasher.
Gonodactylaceus ternatensis is suitable for an aquarium but can be aggressive and break coral. One concern is that this species is often collected from live coral heads that may be destroyed in the collecting process.
Odontodactylus japonicus
Superfamily: Gonodactyloidea
Family: Odontodactylidae
Genus: Odontodactylus
Species: Odontodactylus japonicus
Odontodactylus japonicus is found in the Indo-West Pacific، from the western Indian Ocean to Australia and Japan. It resides at depths of between 30 and 100 m deep.
This mantis shrimp measures between 2 and 17 cm in length، with the body of males being a salmon color and the body of females also salmon، but with a greenish tint on the abdomen. They are a smasher species.
Odontodactylus japonicus are good as aquarium pets، but those larger than 13 cm may chip or break the glass. They also dig constantly and will rearrange landscaping.
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