Odontodactylus scyllarus

Mantis shrimp | Harlequin mantis shrimp | Peacock mantis shrimp
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus, Bali, Indonesia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus, Tanzania, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus, Stradbroke Island, QLD, Photo: Antonia Cooper
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus, Stradbroke Island, QLD, Photo: Antonia Cooper
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Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Odontodactylus scyllarus

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Brightly coloured and unmistakeable. This species has the fastest punch of any animal in the world, using the club-like front appendages to knock out and crack open its prey (such as crabs and seashells). Can be curious, but is more often shy, seen scooting back to its hole in the sand.


Information

Max Size: 18 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 21.9-32.8°C

Depth: 0 - 100 m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Infrequent (2.1% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.