Show your Mantis!

[CodeToad]

It'd be neat to have a thread to show off your mantis pictures, so lets see them! I'll kick it off with my male OS 6-7 inches.

Angry with me and my camera:

Making sure I'm not doing anything funny, giving me the glare:

 

[Dav]

Let's ee if I can do this. I have a nice 5-6" N. Wenn. (I think)
It has been with me about 6 months now and is very much a
social mantis. He will work on the rocks in a 29 gallon with 4 damsels and all the lights on. He's no scared of anything.
Dav

 

[Dav]

Let's ee if I can do this. I have a nice 5-6" N. Wenn. (I think)
It has been with me about 6 months now and is very much a
social mantis. He will work on the rocks in a 29 gallon with 4 damsels and all the lights on. He's no scared of anything.
Dav

 

[majestic sea life]

N.wenns dont get 6'' man 3'' max

 

[dave2184]

Here's mine. 3" N. Wennere.

 

[Dav]

Dr. Roy could you help me with a ID on mine. I was told that was probably what he was since he came from TBS live rock shipment. I got him from someone in NC but he said it came with the LR.
Thank you
Dav

 

[amcarrig]

If you insist

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=42416&papass=&sort=1&thecat=3421

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=42414&papass=&sort=1&thecat=3421

 

[word]

here ya go:

 

[majestic sea life]

word what type is that i want one lol if u ever want to sell him (or her) let me know how did u get him a LFS or online well thx ttyl

 

[Gonodactylus]

Lysiosquillina maculata from the Indo-Pacific (Hawaii to East Africa)
Maximum size = 40 cm
Maximum age > 20 years
Food = Fish specialist
Mating system = monogamous
Availability = common, eaten for food in many locations; frequently imported as the "zebra" or "banded" mantis shrimp

 

[Gonodactylus]

This is one of the opening slides in a seminar that I frequently give on stomatopods. It gives some idea of the diversity of this group.

Roy

 

[dc]

You guys have some cool looking mantis! I don't have any new so I'll post a couple older.

 

[Gonodactylus]

This guy isn't very large as the species goes, only about 11 inches, but the weapons are impressive. Lysiosquillina maculata is one of the most commonly encountered stomatopods in the the Indo-Pacific and if you can provide several inches of sand for it to burrow in, one of the easiest to keep. We have had several for over 5 years.

Roy

 

[word]

mine must be practically a midget at only 7 or so inches.

truth be told, he is a much less interesting pet than any other mantis i've ever had. he is content to sit at the edge of his lair with just his eyes poking out. a "pet hole" if you will. he'll shoot out for a moment to grab food then he jets back into his home. he will only grab food that floats in front of his burrow - won't even take bits that land 3 inches from the openning! about once every 3 or 4 months or so he'll close up and disappear for a week while he molts. that's about it! he's come out only once the whole while i've had him and i think it was because i hadn't fed him for over a week and he was hungry. it was very strange to see him out.

 

[DensityMan]

Gonodactylus smithii

Just at 1 inch almost a year ago...

Sometime later...

Little more than 2 inches (recent)...

He never did regenerate the lost eye... but he did grow another antennae from that area.

 

[DensityMan]

ps- Beautiful shots all... I'm gonna have to get Tim to pose more often (ie - I need to get better at taking pics...)

 

[Ken2001]

Roy, any chance you could post the slides from the seminar somewhere where we could see it?

Ken


Gonodactylus said:

This is one of the opening slides in a seminar that I frequently give on stomatopods. It gives some idea of the diversity of this group.

 

[thesus13]

Nice pics, much appreciated