How Big or Wrong ID - Mantis ?

[Wantonmien]

Hi all,

While diving off Boracay Philippines two weeks back, came across a hole in the sand and (as you do) peered in seeing something lurking down below.

First Pic you can see the smooth sided hole - and second Pic you can see the creature from the hole coming up to check out my steel pointer (which is about same thickness as a pen).

I could not tempt the creature further up than shown in the second picture.

Question - is that a Mantis shrimp - and if so how big do they actually get, as from visible parts of face/head, that guy must have been at least half a metre long ?

If it's not a Mantis - what is it ?

 

[tridacna]

Could that be a pistol shrimp? Alpheidae? Wait...50cm long? That's a monster shrimp. Never saw such a large Mantis or Pistol. More like a slipper lobster....

 

[smellzlikefish]

Those eyes are unquestionably mantis eyes but I agree that a half meter long shrimp sounds huge...and TASTY!!

 

[Doubler]

Definitely a mantis. I have seen them a foot long with a two inch wide tail so yeah it is possible. Don't want that bad boy to get a hold of you because it will hurt.

 

[karseng76]

That looks like a Spearing Mantis Shrimp (Lysiosquillina lisa) to me. Just saw two of these a few days back around Koh Haa islands in Thailand too.

 

[Wantonmien]

That looks like a Spearing Mantis Shrimp (Lysiosquillina lisa) to me. Just saw two of these a few days back around Koh Haa islands in Thailand too.

Karseng, searched net and would say yes your are spot on with the ID, and there I was thinking Mantis shrimps were only little critters !

Did read on net they can get up to 30cm in length, though still suspect this one in Philippines would be larger if out of the hole - but whose to know.

Wonder if anyone has a picture of one completely out of the hole - as all pics I saw on net are pretty similar to the one I took.

Cheers

 

[karseng76]

So far the best full body shot I've found on the net is at "www . reeflex . net/images/9n8k4qWJNG.jpg"

P/S: Pls remove the spaces in the link to the image. Apparently I can't post URL yet!

 

[smellzlikefish]

I have one. I'll have to post it tomorrow.

 

[Wantonmien]

I'll be looking out for it cheers

 

[DevonDiver]

I've googled... nothing recorded being near to 50cm (edited ). I think even 500mm would be a record specimen.

There is THIS story about a Colombia fisherman, who caught a 16" long Black Tiger Shrimp. These are the biggest recorded shrimp species...and 16" is the record for them...

Mantis Shrimps, are not true shrimps. They are part of a species called Stomatopods. They are reknown for having extremely effective 'striking' mechanism with their front claws, having the most complex eyes in the entire animal kingdom...and enjoyed by divers for having an often curious personality which allows some interaction with the critter.

Harpiosquilla stephensoml was the largest stomatopod scientifically sampled (mean length 195 mm).

Zebra Mantis Shrimp are said to reach a size of 38cm. They are also known as Spearing Mantis Shrimps, Zebra Mantis, Striped Mantis Shrimp, Banded Mantis Shrimp, Bumble Bee Mantis Shrimp and Giant Mantis Shrimp. Widespread Indo-Pacific

Article: The Science behind Stomapods

HERE is a really interesting article on keeping pet Mantis.

and another... Lurkers Guide to Stomatopods (Mantis Shrimp)