New Mantis! Meet Ophelia (ID?)

[Psyire]

So this is my new mantis that I've had for almost 2 weeks. I had to do some rearranging of my 'fuge so I pulled her(?) out for some pictures. She's living in my Refugium until I can get a new tank setup.

Here are some Macro shots (best I could get) in hopes of a positive ID. I'm pretty sure she's a female, but since I've never had a mantis before.. I'm not 100% positive.

From what I've seen around the net I think she might be a Haptosquilla stoliura? Someone with more experience with this might know forsure. (I'm hoping) She's doing great and eating well and things are looking good. I saved my favorite pic for last:

 

[SLKs reef]

All I know is its a nice mantis!

 

[rwhhunt]

BEAUTIFUL!!! How BIG?????

 

[Psyire]

Thanks! She's around 2.5" long

 

[Gonodactylus]

Some supplier in Indonesia has suddenly discovered that Haptosquilla stoliura is a super abundant reef flat stomatopod that can be collected in great numbers. In the past couple of months I have seen dozens of these guys coming into the US.

Below I have copied my description of this speceis (sans photos) that will appear in "Roy's List".

Species: Haptosquilla stoliura
Common name: none
Functional type: smasher
Range: Western Indian Ocean to Western Australia, Indonesia and Philippines
Habitat: shallow coastal reef flats
Depth: low intertidal to 3 m
Home: cavity in coral rubble, LR
Diet: generalist, small crustaceans and gastropods
Size: 12-65 mm (one of the largest Haptosquilla)
Color: mostly green dorsally; tan mottling on sides; telson green; long antennules orange; meral spot yellow; iridescent blue patch on first maxilliped
Distinguishing Characters: three bosses on flattened telson; yellow meral spots; blue patches on 1st maxillipeds; orange antennules
Activity: diurnal, closes cavity at night
Aquarium Requirements:
Temperature: 22-28 C
Salinity: 33-36 PSU
Cohabitants: capable of eating small crustaceans and gastropods
Aquarium size (adult): 20 l
Aquarium substrate: sand and gravel, coral rubble, LR, cavity
Suitability for Aquarium: good; very hardy, not interactive
Availability: occasionally found in shipments from Philippine and Indonesian reef flats

 

[Psyire]

Awesome! Thanks for the information. What I find interesting is the size, as mine is all of that 65mm. I was kinda hoping she'd grow some, but I'm guessing that's unlikely now.

If you need any pictures for your profiling and like any of the above ones I can send you the high resolution verions if you want. Just let me know.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Thanks. I'm trying to use all of my own photos for the site since I eventually may want to publish this list.

We usually measure stomatopods from the tip of the eyes to the tip of the telson. I find that most people over estimate the size of their stomatopods. However, sometimes we are surprised and animals to get much larger than thought. A case in point is Gonodactylaceus ternatensis. This species was reported in the literature to get to 75mm and I had collected them as large as 85mm. A couple of years ago I received a male from Bali that was 124mm. I certainly would not be surprised if H. stoliura got a bit larger than the 65 mm reported. In fact, I have several in the lab right now that are in the 60+ mm range.

Roy

 

[Psyire]

Cool.

It's tough to say exactly how large this one I have is, but I'm positive she's over the 60mm mark. I have to move her out into another tank in a few weeks so I'll try and get a good measurement then.

 

[Psyire]

Well the other tank I was suppose to have for her has been delayed a little while, so I haven't been able to get that exact measurement yet.

However she molted for the first time yesterday, which is cool. Must mean she is doing well & healthy. Strange thing is, she changed colors. Is this common for a Haptosquilla stoliura?

She's now more of a Blue/Green w/ Purple color and not much white. I haven't been able to get a really good look as she is hiding more than usual right now.

 

[pisces77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=5831653#post5831653 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gonodactylus
Thanks. I'm trying to use all of my own photos for the site since I eventually may want to publish this list.

We usually measure stomatopods from the tip of the eyes to the tip of the telson. I find that most people over estimate the size of their stomatopods. However, sometimes we are surprised and animals to get much larger than thought. A case in point is Gonodactylaceus ternatensis. This species was reported in the literature to get to 75mm and I had collected them as large as 85mm. A couple of years ago I received a male from Bali that was 124mm. I certainly would not be surprised if H. stoliura got a bit larger than the 65 mm reported. In fact, I have several in the lab right now that are in the 60+ mm range.

Roy

I recently had my male ternatensis die. At last measurement he was 4.5 inches (measured through glass). I was planning to freeze him and send him to you upon death, but a few little crabs had picked at him so the body was no longer intact. :mad2:

 

[Psyire]

I'd just like to mention that the change in color was temporary, soon after the molting process was over her color was back to "normal".

 

[Brandon's Reef]

when you wrote the aquarium size did you do 20 gallon long tank or 20 liter tank?

 

[Psyire]

I'm assuming it was 20 liter but that's just a guess.

Mine is living in a 17g 'fuge at the moment. She's quite happy there.