Gonodactylus
Premium Member
Top 10 things about Mantis Shrimp that make them so unusual (culled from research on a variety of species):
1. The strike is the fastest known animal movement in water - and probably even in air. The complete strike of a Gonodactylus chiragra has been recorded at under 2 milliseconds.
2. Species such as Odontodactylus scyllarus can see polarized light in three different e-vectors (like having polarized shades in three different orientations).
3. They are one of only two animals known to used polarized light displays to communicate. (The other is a butterfly - and the displays of the stomatopods are much more complex.)
4. Some species, such as many lysiosquillids, fluoresce yellow in blue light providing dramatic colored displays in an otherwise drab blue world at depth.
5. The eyes of gonodactyloids and lysiosquilloids have the most complex system for color vision of any animal yet studied. They see color using up to 16 different visual pigments each maximally sensitive to a different wave length. (Our color vision is based on just three visual pigments.) In fact, they have three visual pigments sensitive in the ultra-violet.
6. Some mantis shrimp use up to four colored filters in their eyes to further increase their ability to distinguish colors. A few species such as Haptosquilla trispinosa change the colors of their filters when living at different depths to ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œtuneââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ the eye making it more sensitive to blue light at depth and discerning a broad spectrum when shallow.
7. Although stomatopods are not known to possess ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œearsââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â(I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t believe it!), a few species are known to produce low frequency buzzing sounds.
8. Neogonodactylus bredini can recognize by odor individuals they have fought previously and gage their aggressive response accordingly. Males can also remember their former mate by odor for at least a month.
9. Many species of lysiosquilloids live in monogamous pairs and a few such as Pullosquilla litoralis exhibit biparental care with both males and females caring for their eggs similar to the behavior of many birds.
10. In large monogamous species like Lysiosquillina maculata, the males have bigger eyes and raptorial appendages, do most of the hunting, and feed their mates. Pairs can stay together for 20 years or more.
1. The strike is the fastest known animal movement in water - and probably even in air. The complete strike of a Gonodactylus chiragra has been recorded at under 2 milliseconds.
2. Species such as Odontodactylus scyllarus can see polarized light in three different e-vectors (like having polarized shades in three different orientations).
3. They are one of only two animals known to used polarized light displays to communicate. (The other is a butterfly - and the displays of the stomatopods are much more complex.)
4. Some species, such as many lysiosquillids, fluoresce yellow in blue light providing dramatic colored displays in an otherwise drab blue world at depth.
5. The eyes of gonodactyloids and lysiosquilloids have the most complex system for color vision of any animal yet studied. They see color using up to 16 different visual pigments each maximally sensitive to a different wave length. (Our color vision is based on just three visual pigments.) In fact, they have three visual pigments sensitive in the ultra-violet.
6. Some mantis shrimp use up to four colored filters in their eyes to further increase their ability to distinguish colors. A few species such as Haptosquilla trispinosa change the colors of their filters when living at different depths to ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œtuneââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ the eye making it more sensitive to blue light at depth and discerning a broad spectrum when shallow.
7. Although stomatopods are not known to possess ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œearsââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â(I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t believe it!), a few species are known to produce low frequency buzzing sounds.
8. Neogonodactylus bredini can recognize by odor individuals they have fought previously and gage their aggressive response accordingly. Males can also remember their former mate by odor for at least a month.
9. Many species of lysiosquilloids live in monogamous pairs and a few such as Pullosquilla litoralis exhibit biparental care with both males and females caring for their eggs similar to the behavior of many birds.
10. In large monogamous species like Lysiosquillina maculata, the males have bigger eyes and raptorial appendages, do most of the hunting, and feed their mates. Pairs can stay together for 20 years or more.
i think its amazing how we can keep one of these in our own homes and study them and watch em live whenever you want,Chris
