Zebra Mantis Shrimp
The zebra mantis shrimp (Lysiosquillina maculata) is one of the largest mantis shrimps, up to about 40 centimeters long, with bold black-and-white stripes. It lives in burrows in sandy flats of the Indo-Pacific.
The zebra mantis shrimp (Lysiosquillina maculata) is one of the largest mantis shrimps, up to about 40 centimeters long, with bold black-and-white stripes. It lives in burrows in sandy flats of the Indo-Pacific.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Zebra Mantis Shrimp in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Ecdysozoa lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
A Spearer in Ambush
The shrimp waits at its burrow entrance with only its eyes and claws showing and strikes with spiny, folded arms to impale passing fish and shrimp. Its stripes help it blend into the shadows of the burrow mouth.
Long Partnerships
Zebra mantis shrimps are known to live in pairs that stay together in the same burrow for long periods, a rare bond in invertebrates. The pair share hunting and defend the home.
Home Builders
The burrow is a long, U-shaped tunnel lined with mucus and hardened sediment. Many other species use abandoned burrows for shelter.
Zebra Mantis Shrimp at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lysiosquillina maculata |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Malacostraca |
| Order | Stomatopoda |
| Family | Lysiosquillidae |
| Field Guide group | Ecdysozoa: Mandibulata (Mandibulates) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Long banded body up to 40 cm, barbed raptorial 'spearer' limbs for ambushing fish from sandy burrows, stalked eyes. |
| Order | Stomatopoda |
| Type | Spearer |
See Also
- Peacock Mantis Shrimp — a smasher
- Spottail Mantis Shrimp — a Mediterranean spearer