Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Description:

One of the most amazing animal in the world! This specie of Mantis Shrimp is popular among Divers and also in the aquarium trade. Its easy to understand why because of their bright colors. O. scyllarus is one of the larger, more colourful mantis shrimps commonly seen, ranging in size from 3 to 18 centimetres (1.2 to 7.1 in). They are primarily green in colour, with orange legs and leopard-like spots on the anterior carapace. During larvae phase, they are pelagic and transparent (see my other spotting : http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/231...). The amazing things about them are : - they also hold the world record for the most complex visual system! They have up to 16 photoreceptors and can see UV, visible and polarised light. In fact, they are the only animals known to detect circularly polarised light, which is when the wave component of light rotates in a circular motion. They also can perceive depth with one eye and move each eye independently. It’s impossible to imagine what mantis shrimp see, but incredible to think about. - They have a record punch of 80 km per hour! This is the fastest recorded punch of any living animal. The acceleration is similar to that in a .22 caliber handgun, with 340 pounds-force (1,500 N)[4] per strike. - In the monogamous species, the mantis shrimp remain with the same partner for up to 20 years. They share the same burrow and may be able to coordinate their activities. Both sexes often take care of the eggs (biparental care). In Pullosquilla and some species in Nannosquilla, the female will lay two clutches of eggs: one that the male tends and one that the female tends. In other species, the female will look after the eggs while the male hunts for both of them. Once the eggs hatch, the offspring may spend up to three months as plankton

Habitat:

Coral rubble. They usually dig a tunnel in the bottom as their 'house' or hide under rocks and crevices. They are usually seen peeking out from their tunnel homes.

Notes:

Pic #1 shows how colorful they are Pic #2 shows a specimen holding a cluster of Eggs. The Eggs are quite well developed as you can already see the tiny black dots of their eyes! Found a video shared at Facebook how powerful their strikes can be : https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=922...