Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Odontodactylus scyllarus

Peacock Mantis Shrimp

“ It extols death with the luminescent brilliance of a dying star. It is Genghis Khan bathed in sherbet ice cream. The mantis shrimp is the harbinger of blood-soaked rainbows. ”

– The Oatmeal

Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Crustacea

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Stomatopoda

Family: Odontodactylidae

Genus: Odontodactylus

Species: Odontodactylus scyllarus

Named by: Carl Linnaeus

Year Published: 1758

Size: 2.5 – 40 cm (1 – 15 Inches)

Type: Crustaceans (Mantis Shrimps)

Title: 

Pantheon: Terran

Time Period: Holocene

Alignment: Neutral

Diet: Carnivorous

Elements: Water, combat

Inflicts: Watered, stunned, pinched

Weaknesses: Electric, fire, leaf, sound, arcane, fae

Casualties: n/a

Based On: itself

Conservation Status: Not Evaluated

Peacock Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) or commonly known as the Harlequin Mantis Shrimp, Painted Mantis Shrimp, Clown Mantis Shrimp or Rainbow Mantis Shrimp, is a large stomatopod native to the epipelagic seabed across the Indo-Pacific, ranging from Guam to East Africa. In the marine aquarium trade, it is both prized for its attractiveness and considered by others to be a dangerous pest if the glass can break due to their stronger pincers like a fist.

Etymology

Coming soon

Physical Appearance

They are primarily green with orange legs and leopard-like spots on the anterior carapace. One of the most brightly colored stomatopods; with deep blue uropods; those and other appendages lined with bright red setae.

Abilities

Their ability to see circularly polarised light has led to studies to determine if the mechanisms by which their eyes operate can be replicated for use in reading CDs and similar optical storage devices. The dactyl club is the most electron dense region of the stomatopod exoskeleton. From a transverse cross section, the club can be divided into three different regions: the impact region, the periodic region and the striated region. The mechanical properties of each region has a correlation to the degree of mineralization that is present.

Ecology

There are intertidal to subtidal crustaceans. Lives in existing burrows in shallow and rough bottom habitats, often on or near coral reefs, and on reef flats at a depth of 36 m. Feeds on scyllarids (hence their scientific name); active during the day; uses its buttressed raptorial claws to smash hard-bodied prey. Largest known 'smasher' in the world. Some members of the order Stomatopoda pair for life and some come together only to mate. Males produce sperm ducts rather than spermatophores; females can brood a maximum of 50,000 eggs.


Peacock mantis shrimp is a burrower, constructing U-shaped holes in the loose substrate near the bases of coral reefs in water ranging from 3 to 40 metres (9.8 to 131.2 ft) deep. In addition, the surface of its hammer-claw is made up of extremely dense hydroxyapatite, laminated in a manner which is highly resistant to fracturing, and can break ordinary glass tanks.

Behavior

While some aquarists value peacock shrimp, others consider them harmful pests because they are voracious predators that will eat other desirable inhabitants in the tank. Peacock mantis shrimp is neutral and territorial.

Distribution and Habitat

Peacock mantis shrimp native to the epipelagic seabed across the Indo-Pacific, ranging from Guam to East Africa, and as far South as Northern KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.


Tamed

Coming soon

Lore

Coming soon

Foreign Languages

Coming soon

Trivia

References