where to see pics of a baby mantis shrimp

[johns]

I'm fairly sure (let's say 90%) that I have 2 very small early-stage mantis shrimp in my sump. One is about 1/2 inch long, another is about 1/4-3/8inch. They came on Florida aquacultured rock and I purposefully stuck them in the sump about 2 months ago. I've still been seeing them, even much more these past few weeks.

Does anyone know where I might find some pictures of babies to verify what I have?

 

[BlennyBabe]

try this site.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BMLSS/Mantis.htm

 

[Gonodactylus]

There are very few photographs of stomatopod larvae on the web. Two appear on the Lurker's Guide: http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pics/cheroske_larvae.htm

However, it is highly unlikely that you have larvae stomatopods. It they are mantis shrimp, they are almost certainly juveniles which look just like adults, only smaller. THey will have basically the same coloration a couple of weeks after settling out of the plankton. Assuming you have Neogonodactylus, the first recruite at about 8 mm. After a couple of months, they will have molted two to four times and will be about 12 - 15 mm long.

ROy

 

[johns]

Hmm. I guess I might have to rethink what I might have there then. They are still pretty white.

They look a LOT like a crustacean. Sort of elongated oval in shape. They can curl up and have lots of legs underneath. The eye still look like propotioanally too-large, black dots. Very noticeable against their white bodies.

Thing is I'm not so sure I see the appendages. They are EXTREMELY fast. If you try to grab them, they dark around so fast you lose track of them easy. One time that i did grab one it grapped onto my finger and wouldn;t let go. It didn't hurt or anything, but something was pinching to hold on pretty strong. i didnt see what it was that was pinching.

 

[Hwarang]

http://www.imagequest3d.com/pages/current/pictureoftheweek/stomatopod/stomatopod.htm