Shields up

[Gonodactylus]

I've been trying to get more action shots, this time focusing on cavity eviction behavior in Neogonodactylus oerstedii. The most common attack mode by intruders is what I call "Lunge-strike-coil". The intruder dives in to the cavity entrance head first, strikes and immediately recoils in front of the cavity with the telson brought up to shield against a counter attack by the resident. This happens in less than a tenth of a second. Here a male N. oerstedii is recoiling in open water in front of a female's cavity. He has alread struck and the extended raptorial appendage dactyls offer additional protection against a counter attack.

Roy

 

[Adetia]

That picture is amazing, it doesn't even look real.

 

[Gonodactylus]

Another shot with the resident female counter attacking.

I shot most of these images at 1/30,000 of a second. That is enough to stop the action, but stopping the action sometimes makes it difficult to tell what is happening.

Roy

 

[Cptnhook]

that looks very cool !

 

[Calappidae]

The clearity of these photos never cease to amaze!

 

[kegogut]

Great shots,was this in captivity or in the great blue under?

 

[Gonodactylus]

They are aquarium shots. There is no way I could set up the lighting needed to capture the action in the field.

Roy

 

[Balletomane]

Astonishing images! How cool that the Big Dude in the realm of Stomatopods is a regular contributor to these boards.

Admittedly I have no experience with the genus, much less that I lost my reef tank to a four-day power loss. My generator failed when the capacitor melted after 19 hours. I evacuated the livestock that survived to the LFS. I'd restock but we are selling the house in the near future. I might go the (biggish) nano route.

My bestest friend from college and grad school is a prof in the UCB College of Social Justice. I'll have to check with him to see if he's ever hoisted a pint with you. Keep up your highly valuable work!