Crustaceans
Peacock Mantis Shrimp
Odontodactylus scyllarus · Crustacean — order Stomatopoda (mantis shrimps), a smasher-type stomatopod; not a true shrimp
The peacock mantis shrimp carries the fastest punch a diver will ever share water with — spring-loaded raptorial clubs that accelerate through water hard enough to crack crab armor, with a collapsing cavitation bubble striking a second time behind the blow. Aquarists call them thumb splitters; divers mostly meet flashes of emerald, scarlet, and turquoise scuttling between rubble burrows. The eyes may be stranger than the weapons: mounted on independent stalks, packed with more photoreceptor classes than almost any animal studied, and sensitive to polarized light, they track a passing diver like gun turrets. Females brood egg masses in the burrow, and monogamous pairs hold the same territory for years at some sites. Watch from a respectful half meter, and keep fingers, pointers, and dome ports away from the front door. The clubs answer for the shrimp.
Onde e quando ver um
"Residente" significa que a maioria dos mergulhos naquele destino os encontra; "sazonal" significa presença confiável nos meses listados; qualquer outra coisa é um bônus, não um plano.
| Destino | Fiabilidade | Meses | Notas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bali & Nusa PenidaIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Todo o ano | |
| AnilaoPhilippines | Resident — seen on most dives | Todo o ano | |
| Similan Islands & Richelieu RockThailand | Resident — seen on most dives | Todo o ano | |
| Lembeh StraitIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Todo o ano | |
| Dumaguete, Dauin & Apo IslandPhilippines | Resident — seen on most dives | Todo o ano | |
| MoalboalPhilippines | Resident — seen on most dives | Todo o ano |
Melhor mês, em resumo
Entendendo-os
Habitat: Rubble and sand near reefs, in U-shaped burrows the animal maintains and defends for long periods.
Distribuição: Indo-Pacific from East Africa and the Andaman Sea through the Coral Triangle to northern Australia and Japan.
Comportamento: Patrols near the burrow in bursts, tracking divers with independently swiveling eyes; females brood egg masses in the burrow, and pairs at some sites hold territories for years.
Dieta: Hard-shelled prey — crabs, snails, clams — cracked open with hammer-like raptorial clubs.
Tamanho: normalmente cerca de 0.12 m; documentado até 0.18 m (body length).
Como se comportar perto de um
Observe from half a meter, never tease a burrow mouth with fingers or a pointer, and keep camera ports out of striking range of a displaying animal.
Conservação
Not formally assessed and locally common; collected for aquaria despite being a famously destructive tank resident.
Pontos mapeados conhecidos por eles
Assista
Dos canais oficiais
Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Outrageously Tiny Fish
Sink or Swim? with Monét X Change | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Os vídeos são links incorporados dos próprios canais dos criadores — não hospedamos nada e creditamos tudo.