random mantis pix

[Just_Greg]

i didn't want to 'jack the thread, but all the talk of shrimp molting made me miss keeping Stomatopods (mantis shrimp), so here are some pix of some of our specimens:

O. scyllarus (peacock mantis):

in the photo tank:



"but it's SCARY out there!"



"food please..."



hey baby...nice telsons!

[Just_Greg]

P. ciliata (the only "spearer" we've kept):

"you're right...it IS scary out there!"



"stealth mode!"



old yeller?



"did someone say DINNER?"

[Just_Greg]

unidentified clubber...just a little feller:



"ah...the food god cometh!  nom, nom, nom..."



another even smaller un-ID'd clubber, most likely G. viridis:

yellow arrow = mantis, red arrow = mysis:

[Learner]

As usual Greg, great pic's.  8)
Thanks for sharing  :D

[Just_Greg]

just thought i'd show those who aren't familiar with them that mantises aren't the necessarily the beasts they're made out to be.  the peacock was super inquisitive and spent as much time watching us as we did watching him.  they also have one of the foremost visual acuities in the animal kingdom (what other critter can see IR, UV, has polarized vision, and still has stereo vision with just one eye?).

close up of mantis eye:



needless to say, i find them super fascinating critters...

[pinkorchid]

Very cool....

I don't know much (okay...ANYTHING) about them. Thanks for sharing!! Great pictures  8)

[KYLE.801]

way cool awesome pics! 

[OCtrackiepacsg1]

I like the stealth mode picture..stupid question, would it kill your turbo snail?

[Just_Greg]

I like the stealth mode picture..stupid question, would it kill your turbo snail?

that mantis is P. ciliata, which is a spearer as opposed to a clubber such as the peacock.  spearers are piscivores and have spearlike raptorial appendages for spearing fish.  they can't crack shells, so it's safe with snails.

[cruzincaril]

just now saw this thread..great pics..