mantis with blue meral spots?

[oddball_from_ac]

i dont recall what species it is. the manager at work sent one back from cali for me last week. he's back now i thanked him and man this mantis is beutiful. telson looks like a large version of an N. wenns telson. i'll get pics tonight.
dylan

 

[Gonodactylus]

There are only a couple of species of gonodactylid that I can think of that have blue meral spots. Neogonodactylus bahiahondensis has a powder blue spot. I've never seen one for sale, but it is a common species of the Pacific coast of Central America. Gonodactylus smithii has a deep blue or purple spot. This is a common species found on reef flats throughout the Indo-Pacific. N. oerstedii females from the Caribbean occasionally have a bluish grey spot, but usually it is more purple. G. smithii is easy to tell because it has red orange bumps at the base of the uropods.

Roy

 

[oddball_from_ac]

i do infact see 2 red spine type things at the base of the body right above the top of the telson
dylan

 

[Gonodactylus]

Then it can only be Gonodactylus smithii. This is a species that does well in captivity. Maximum size will be around 8 cm and they live 5-6 years. While they will live in a piece of pvc pipe, in the field they typically occupy cavities in coral and coral rubble, If you can find a piece of live rock with a cavity just a bit bigger than the animal, that is ideal. The animal will work to enlarge the cavity as needed. From my experience, they will eat a variety of food, but in the field they most prey on small crabs and gastropods.

Roy

 

[oddball_from_ac]

thats funny i dont think mine has eaten yet but then again the hermit i threw in has been mia so i hope its ajusting ok. it's fairly large though almost the size of the green one i posted for an id last time.
i'll letcha know what comes of him/her
dylan