OP
Wantonmien
Contributor
DevonDiver,
500mm not cm
Take a look at the pointer in my photo, if each notch in the pointer is around 25mm - across the top of the head of the shrimp was about 75mm - and going on normal shape of these mantis, I'd still estimate that lurking in the hole was a critter close to 500mm (50 cm) long ?
Here's a bit I found on The Coral Triangle - Oasis of life with a pic almost identical to the one I took.
They can range in size from 2 cm (about ¾ of a inch) to over 30 cm (1 ft) in length, but most mantis shrimp species which inhabit the Coral Triangle are extremely large. For example, the stomatopod Lysiosquillina lisa which is commonly found in the Philippines can grow to a length of 25 cm (10 inches) or more. It has huge spearing claws, as opposed to smashing claws, that allow it to eat fish larger than itself.
Figure 4: A large spearing mantis shrimp in the Philippines, patiently waiting in its burrow to capture a fish (photograph: Jeni Tyrell).
500mm not cm
Take a look at the pointer in my photo, if each notch in the pointer is around 25mm - across the top of the head of the shrimp was about 75mm - and going on normal shape of these mantis, I'd still estimate that lurking in the hole was a critter close to 500mm (50 cm) long ?
Here's a bit I found on The Coral Triangle - Oasis of life with a pic almost identical to the one I took.
They can range in size from 2 cm (about ¾ of a inch) to over 30 cm (1 ft) in length, but most mantis shrimp species which inhabit the Coral Triangle are extremely large. For example, the stomatopod Lysiosquillina lisa which is commonly found in the Philippines can grow to a length of 25 cm (10 inches) or more. It has huge spearing claws, as opposed to smashing claws, that allow it to eat fish larger than itself.
Figure 4: A large spearing mantis shrimp in the Philippines, patiently waiting in its burrow to capture a fish (photograph: Jeni Tyrell).
