Dr. Roy, I just wanted to say Thank You.
Four years or so back, I happened upon a fascinating little animal called a Stomatopod. Every or nearly every person that I showed them to either said 'What an ugly beast!' or 'Ugh, I'm glad THAT THING doesn't get big, I'd never swim in the Oceans.' Those with aquariums universally hated Mantis Shrimp as the Scourge of the Reef.Yep, that was pretty much how things went until I started reading up on them, predominantly reading papers/essays by you, Dr. Caldwell.
Soon, I was armed with information regarding the fascinating visual system, the behavior of Mantis Shrimp, the problem-solving and individual recognition that they are capable of. Many,many things with which to go to war with those who hated them.
And, wonder of wonders, the 'Ugh!' comments started to become 'Wow, that really is cool...I didn't know that they could see that, do that, did that, etc...'
Now, I have friends saying things like 'Ron, tell Barry about the range of a Mantis Shrimp's vision. Barry, this is great, listen to him go...'
See, I am obsessed with Stomatopods, and I will likely be so for a very long time. If I could, I would have twenty of the little buggers in my home (Alas, space prevents this).
Dr. Roy, thank you for helping vindicate an animal much maligned by aquariamists and others who have either had bad (thumbsplitter...) encounters or who just chose to hate them due to their bad press.
-Ron
Four years or so back, I happened upon a fascinating little animal called a Stomatopod. Every or nearly every person that I showed them to either said 'What an ugly beast!' or 'Ugh, I'm glad THAT THING doesn't get big, I'd never swim in the Oceans.' Those with aquariums universally hated Mantis Shrimp as the Scourge of the Reef.Yep, that was pretty much how things went until I started reading up on them, predominantly reading papers/essays by you, Dr. Caldwell.
Soon, I was armed with information regarding the fascinating visual system, the behavior of Mantis Shrimp, the problem-solving and individual recognition that they are capable of. Many,many things with which to go to war with those who hated them.
And, wonder of wonders, the 'Ugh!' comments started to become 'Wow, that really is cool...I didn't know that they could see that, do that, did that, etc...'
Now, I have friends saying things like 'Ron, tell Barry about the range of a Mantis Shrimp's vision. Barry, this is great, listen to him go...'
See, I am obsessed with Stomatopods, and I will likely be so for a very long time. If I could, I would have twenty of the little buggers in my home (Alas, space prevents this).
Dr. Roy, thank you for helping vindicate an animal much maligned by aquariamists and others who have either had bad (thumbsplitter...) encounters or who just chose to hate them due to their bad press.
-Ron
