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Project Noah Nature School
Stomatopoda
This 2 Mantis Shrimps were attracted to the surface behind our liveaboard Boat on a dive trip. The lights behind our Boat attracted planktons at night which in turn attract Manta Rays to feed among the Planktons and the unexpected surprise of this Mantis Shrimps also showing up to feed on the Planktons.
Mantis Shrimps are generally bottom dwellers, building their 'nests/homes' in the sandy bottom or rubble bottom.
During Juvenile phase, the Mantis Shrimps can be transparent in look and tends to be oceanic, floating in the water column, feeding on planktons and other crustaceans at night, before settling down in the bottom.
Spotted on Feb 8, 2014
Submitted on Feb 18, 2014
9 Comments
Thanks, @Scott :)
Moved to Arthropods :-)
Thanks, @Maria :)
Interesting spotting and information in the description and comments!
Always careful when handling them. In south India they think it is medicine for colds or flu. !! :( called thumb-breaker.
Yep, @Chun.
Unfortunately, they are considered a delicacy among the Chinese :(
No wonder they are kept live in plastic containers in the seafood restaurants here. Plastic containers are flexible so they cannot break :-)
Yes, @Mark. They have the world's fastest punch and it is very strong too!!!
Their strike can smash the glass of the underwater camera case/housing!!!
Check out this video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti2Uoc1RX...
Aliens. Spectacular animals.