Geographic Range
Peacock mantis shrimp are found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, south of Japan, north of
Australia, and between eastern Africa and Guam.
- Biogeographic Regions
- oriental
- ethiopian
- australian
- indian ocean
- pacific ocean
Habitat
Peacock mantis shrimp can be found at depths of 3-40 m, though they are most typically
found at depths of 10-30 m. They prefer water temperatures of 22-28°C. These mantis
shrimp are most commonly found in their U-shaped burrows, often built near the bases
of coral reefs on sandy and gravelly areas.
- Habitat Regions
- tropical
- saltwater or marine
Physical Description
Peacock mantis shrimp are crustaceans, most closely resembling lobsters. They are
very brightly colored, with a base body color of olive or green, brightly covered
orange antennae scales, red raptorial appendages (used to smash prey), red setae on
their uropods, and leopard like spots covering the lateral sides of the lower carapace.
Their compound eyes are blue in color. Body coloration is sexually dimorphic, with
males being being more brightly colored. The carapace is slightly raised, covering
only the lower half of the head, leaving the portion with the eyes exposed. These
mantis shrimp average 3-18 cm in length. They have long, narrow bodies, and in addition
to their raptorial appendages, a pair of maxillopods, three pairs of legs used for
holding prey, three pairs of walking legs, and five pairs of swimmerets, before the
body terminates in the telson and paired uropods.
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes colored or patterned differently
- male more colorful
Development
Typically, stomatopod eggs are carried in a mass by the female, who cares for them
until they hatch. Not much is known about the larval development of peacock mantis
shrimp, specifically. However, the larval development of a related species, split-thumb
mantis shrimp (
Gonodactylus bredini
) has been well documented. The larvae of split-thumb mantis shrimp undergo seven
larval stages before reaching maturity. Each of the first three stages lasts from
1-3 days, and larvae stay in a burrow until reaching the fourth larval stage, which
lasts 6-8 days. Collectively, the final three stages may take 38 days to complete.
After completing their seven larval stages, a final molt, taking up to eight days,
results in a mature adult.
- Development - Life Cycle
- metamorphosis
Reproduction
Mantis shrimp mate, spawn, brood, and hatch their eggs in their burrows, making details
regarding these processes difficult to observe. Peacock mantis shrimp are usually
monogamous; however, individuals have been seen mating with different partners on
occasion. Females are oviparous, and males have an external copulatory organ; sperm
is released by the male, held briefly by the female, and then released along with
her eggs, where fertilization occurs. Fertilized eggs join together in a mass, held
together with adhesive produced by the female. She carries the egg mass on her front
thoracic appendages and broods them in her burrow, caring for, cleaning, and aerating
them. She does not eat during this time.
- Mating System
- monogamous
These mantis shrimp are believed to be reproductively active throughout the year,
with peaks during the warmer months. Mantis shrimp spawn nocturnally.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- year-round breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- fertilization
- oviparous
- sperm-storing
Maternal investment in mantis shrimp is much higher than paternal investment. Females
usually stay in their burrows when brooding eggs, rarely leaving the burrow prior
to hatching. Females use their maxillipeds (appendages on the head normally used for
feeding), to clean and aerate the eggs; they do not typically eat while brooding eggs.
Male peacock mantis shrimp are not known to exhibit parental investment, although
it is possible that they guard their mates' burrows as do their close relatives, split-thumb
mantis shrimp (
Gonodactylus bredini
).
- Parental Investment
- female parental care
-
pre-hatching/birth
-
protecting
- female
-
protecting
Lifespan/Longevity
Behavior
Peacock mantis shrimp are very aggressive hunters and are active both during the day
and at night. They are typically solitary outside of mating. When peacock mantis
shrimp are resting, they can usually be found in the U-shaped burrows that they create
at the bases of coral. Peacock mantis shrimp are known to be territorial, with individuals
using their powerful smashers to strike each others' tail areas; for this reason,
the telson is the most heavily armored part of their bodies. The powerful strikes
of peacock mantis shrimp are powered by elastic forces, meaning that the farther back
they pull their raptorial appendages, the stronger the strike; speeds of up to 20
m/s have been recorded for a strike. Each strike actually generates two blows, one
from the impact of the limb itself (400-1501 Newtons) and one from the explosion of
a cavitation bubble created from the initial impact (up to 504 Newtons). When kept
in aquaria, these mantis shrimp have been known to crack the glass of their tanks.
Home Range
There is no information currently available regarding home range or territory size
for this species; however, they tend to remain in or close to their small burrows.
Communication and Perception
Peacock mantis shrimp perceive their environment visually through their stalked compound
eyes. They are capable of processing ultraviolet and polarized light, as well as color;
their visual capabilities are extremely important to their success as hunters. Mantis
shrimp also communicate through vibrations, created by contractions of posterior muscles
and known as stomatopod rumbles. These vibrations are used for territorial and defensive
purposes; individuals may create vibrations while in their burrows, warning potential
predators or other conspecifics to keep their distance. They are also able to detect
smells in the water.
- Other Communication Modes
- vibrations
- Perception Channels
- visual
- ultraviolet
- polarized light
- tactile
- vibrations
- chemical
Food Habits
Peacock mantis shrimp are carnivorous; prey items include gastropods, crustaceans,
and bivalves. In the wild, they are known to eat scallops such as
Annachlamys flabellata
, although crabs are their preferred prey. Peacock mantis shrimp are "smashers," using
their rapptorial appendages as described above to break open their prey's shell. In
captivity, these mantis shrimp have been known to attack and eat fishes as well.
- Primary Diet
-
carnivore
- piscivore
- eats non-insect arthropods
- molluscivore
- Animal Foods
- fish
- mollusks
- aquatic crustaceans
Predation
Peacock mantis shrimp do not have many known predators; they have, however, been found
in the stomachs of yellowfin tuna. Smaller individuals in particular may be prey to
larger reef fishes. To avoid predators, peacock mantis shrimp hide in their burrows,
using vibrations ("stomatopod rumbles") to warn potential attackers.
Ecosystem Roles
Peacock mantis shrimp create their burrows near coral bases; they constantly create
new burrows and abandon older ones, creating new habitats for other animals. Although
data regarding specific parasitic infections in this species is not currently available,
larger individuals in aquaria have been seen with various shell diseases.
- Ecosystem Impact
- creates habitat
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Peacock mantis shrimp are often kept in aquaria because they are brightly colored
and very active. They are used in a variety of research, particularly on vision and
digital storage. The eyes of this mantis shrimp are more advanced than human eyes,
capable of processing ultraviolet, infrared, and polarized light. Current digital
storage methods (CDs) use only a single wavelength in data storage; if additional
wavelengths could be utilized, storage capacity would increase greatly.
- Positive Impacts
- pet trade
- research and education
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Although they are popular, peacock mantis shrimp can be problematic to keep in aquaria
as they are capable of breaking aquarium glass and are known to be aggressive to other
animals kept with them. These animals are sometimes introduced to aquaria accidentally
if they happen to be hiding in collected rock or coral.
Conservation Status
Peacock mantis shrimp have not been evaluated by the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature and Natural Resources, but are not considered endangered or threatened by
any agency.
Additional Links
Contributors
Frankie Chiu (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Jeremy Wright (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
- oriental
-
found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- Ethiopian
-
living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- Australian
-
Living in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea and associated islands.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- Pacific Ocean
-
body of water between the southern ocean (above 60 degrees south latitude), Australia, Asia, and the western hemisphere. This is the world's largest ocean, covering about 28% of the world's surface.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- saltwater or marine
-
mainly lives in oceans, seas, or other bodies of salt water.
- benthic
-
Referring to an animal that lives on or near the bottom of a body of water. Also an aquatic biome consisting of the ocean bottom below the pelagic and coastal zones. Bottom habitats in the very deepest oceans (below 9000 m) are sometimes referred to as the abyssal zone. see also oceanic vent.
- reef
-
structure produced by the calcium carbonate skeletons of coral polyps (Class Anthozoa). Coral reefs are found in warm, shallow oceans with low nutrient availability. They form the basis for rich communities of other invertebrates, plants, fish, and protists. The polyps live only on the reef surface. Because they depend on symbiotic photosynthetic algae, zooxanthellae, they cannot live where light does not penetrate.
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- metamorphosis
-
A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.
- monogamous
-
Having one mate at a time.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- year-round breeding
-
breeding takes place throughout the year
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- external fertilization
-
fertilization takes place outside the female's body
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- sperm-storing
-
mature spermatozoa are stored by females following copulation. Male sperm storage also occurs, as sperm are retained in the male epididymes (in mammals) for a period that can, in some cases, extend over several weeks or more, but here we use the term to refer only to sperm storage by females.
- female parental care
-
parental care is carried out by females
- diurnal
-
- active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- solitary
-
lives alone
- territorial
-
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- vibrations
-
movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- polarized light
-
light waves that are oriented in particular direction. For example, light reflected off of water has waves vibrating horizontally. Some animals, such as bees, can detect which way light is polarized and use that information. People cannot, unless they use special equipment.
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- vibrations
-
movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- pet trade
-
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.
- carnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats meat
- piscivore
-
an animal that mainly eats fish
- molluscivore
-
eats mollusks, members of Phylum Mollusca
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