L. maculata in Hawaii

Fcamdog

New member
I was snorkling Tuesday and something got me thinking. I see holes that are 1-2" wide, almost a perfect circle and when I stick my fingers in them I can't feel the bottom. Could this be a mantis home?

Some of the smaller ones have a small red lobster living in them. It might not be a lobster, but that's what they look like. They are fun to antagonize and I can almost get them to come out of their holes enough to catch them by sticking things into their holes.

I have never seen a L. maculata when snorkling but with the recent discussion on them it got me wondering if I may be coming across their burrows.

Letme know what you think Dr.

Fidel
 
Okay... bear with me here. You are snorkling along in the ocean blue, find some holes in the substrate that could frankly house anything from the Loch Ness Monster (I need about tree-fiddy) to sea snakes to, well, mantis shrimps.

And then of course, you STICK YOUR FINGERS IN THE HOLES!?!?! Am I missing something here? Maybe this is a diver-thing I just don't get.

Just curious is all. :)

S !
 
The holes that are perfectly smooth and straight - often near the edge of a rock - are made by a large red shrimp..They are not Lysiosquillina maculata. Usually when you find a Lysiosquillina burrow, it will be larger, but the entrance will be partially covered with a sand/mucus cap. The hole in the center can be little more than a couple of mm in diameter with the eyes and antennules fiittng tightly into it or the entrance can be partially open - usually about an inch or so. In this case, the animal sits in the entrance partially concealing the hole by filling it with its antennal scales. I usually spot L. m by walking a sand flat at low tide and looking for the tell-tale sag of the cap when the water level is a few inches down the burrow - or by snorkelling and watching for the animal's sudden escape down the burrow.

If you carry a short piece of wire, you can check out small holes. If you can cut away the cap and reveal a 2-3 inch hole that goes down about 15 inches and then bends parallel to the surface, you've found a Lysiosquillina.

I've attached a picture of a Lysiosquilllina hunting. You can see the antennal scales filling the gap and if you look carefully, you can make out the faint outline of the burrow entrance around the edge of the photograph.

Roy
 
okay when ur in the ocean i wouldnt stick my fingers in anything!!!!!! a mantis could take ur finger off, or it could b a morray or as stated b4 it could b the loch ness monster
 
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