Need ID please

[ReeferKeith]

I finally got a mantis from a friend. He hitchiked in on some of his new LR. Here are a few photos. I hope they are clear enough for an ID. Thank you!

 

[Pea-brain]

My guess either G. ternatensis or a rare color morph of G. smithii. What color are the meral spots?

 

[KhawMengLee]

I don't think its G. ternatensis...looks more like G. Chiragra but I can't really see if it has that spikey bit behind and inbetween it's eyes.

 

[Pea-brain]

Look at roy's list, G. ternatensis. Look at the bottom pic. The rapts have the same color pattern and the telson is simillar in regards to color. besides, I think I see a bit of meral spot and if I am right it looks orange.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Look at the telson and the two prominant teeth. There are only a handful of species with this type of telson. The main options are Gonodactylellus espinosa from the Indo-Pacific, N. zacae from the eastern Pacific, and N. wennerae or N. bredini from the western Atlantic. Given the color and size, it is N. wennerae or N. bredini.

Roy

 

[Hutton]

I agree with Dr. roy. N wenn. Half of the ones ive seen have the same telsona nd color, and are probably alot more common than the two Gondodactylids mentioned.

 

[Pea-brain]

Dang...got another one wrong....oh well.....*waits for Dr. Roys book*

 

[ReeferKeith]

Thanks for the input! It came on some of the Tampa Bay Rock , so I'm thinking definately Western Atlantic.

He is currenly living in my 12 gallon nano cube with a small damsel. Should I be concerned about the Mantis staying hid out because of the damsel? Since I put him in there I haven't seen it. I have heard the charcteristic "clicking" though.

 

[justinl]

ahh the good old TBS mantis hitcher. yeah 99% of the time those TBS mantids are N. wennerae.

usually it is recommended to put the damsel in after the mantis. this gives the mantis time to get used to the tank without the hassling from a nosy fish. so if you want you could remove the damsel but if not that's cool too. itll just take the mantis longer to get comfortable.

 

[Pea-brain]

We need a sticky thread that says "if you have a hitcher and bought TBS LR...." and inside it just says that you have an N. wennerae, lists a few facts, pics, link to roys list on wennerae, and minimum tank requirements....

Edit: Oh and it has to have the bottle trap

 

[justinl]

lol true that!