The perils of being a stomatopod.

[Gonodactylus]

This morning I shot some video of an adult O. scyllarus molting. Behavioral changes (increased aggression and a lot of excavation) along with sutures appearing on the 6,7 and 8th thoracic tergites suggested that she would molt in a day or so. I put her in an aquarium with a cut away burrow and checked on her periodically. This morning when I came to the lab, I found her on her side with the sutures almost split. I quickly set up a camera and lights and started recording expecting here to complete the molt in the usual 5 minutes or so. Things did not go as I had hoped. Some shell rot had developed around an old wound on her carapace and the molt looked like me trying to get out of a wetsuit. It took over an hour. I've cut together about 5 minutes of the molting process. You can see the tergites split, the antennal scales pull out, and the use of the antennules to free the head and mouth appendages.

Roy


https://youtu.be/m3c9iKhR8Uw

 

[Nina51]

that is the coolest thing i've seen in a long time! i recently got my first mantis and this really helps to know what to look for.

thanks for posting.

 

[Calappidae]

lol, I like how you can hear her neighbor hitting something.

Must be difficult to get some sleep while in the lab.