Gonodactylus platysoma

A large, surprisingly docile species of smasher mantis shrimp. These animals are stouter-looking than many of the other members of their genus, and recent molecular phylogenies may indicate that they do not belong. They have very beautiful colorful flourishes on certain parts of their bodies.

Squilla empusa

A mantis shrimp found all along the US east coast. This individual came from the Chesapeake Bay. They are different than many mantis shrimp that I study in that they only have two midband rows and apparently only one photoreceptor type.

Peacock brushing off

Odontodactylus scyllarus using it's specialized brush mouthparts to keep it's eyes and antennae clean.

Gonodactylus chiragra

Pound-for-pound, the strongest, angriest species of smasher I have ever dealt with. These guys will hit anything that moves.

Gonodactylus chiragra

Rearing up for a strike.

Defensive posture

G. chiragra, readying it's weapons (raptorial appendages) and shield (hardened telson or tail)

Pseudosquilla ciliata

A spearer that forages in reef rubble similarly to many of the large smasher species found at Lizard Island. This species is tremendously polymorphic in appearance, displaying many color variations including bright golden yellow, tan, lime green, olive, and many types of mottled, like this individual.

Chorisquilla hystrix

A tiny mantis shrimp from Lizard Island, Australia. It is notable for the red screening pigment in the eyes and its spikey, velcro-like tail (telson).

Neogonodactylus oerstedii

A smasher from the Florida Keys

Neogonodactylus oerstedii

A smasher from the Florida Keys

Neogonodactylus

This is the first photo I ever took of a mantis shrimp. It is probably N. bredini or N. wennerae.

Draw me like one of your French girls

Neogonodactylus oerstedii giving me the sexy pose.

Googly-eyes

Ondontodactylus latirostris from Lizard Island, Australia.

Big eyes

Ondontodactylus latirostris from Lizard Island, Australia.

O. latirostris

Mantis shrimp egg

Pullosquilla ege containing an embryo. The larval compound eye is clearly see developing on top of the yoke.

Larval Mantis Shrimp, Alima pacifica

Mantis shrimp larva

Lysiosquillina maculata larva from Lizard Island

Odontodactylus latirostris eye

A very close up view of the eye of O. latirostris from Lizard Island, Australia. This photo nicely shows the three pseudopupils, formed by the dorsal periphery, ventral periphery and the midband. In this photo, the mantis shrimp is looking at the camera with its 'acute zone', a region of the compound eye with increased spatial resolution.

Fluorescent ultraviolet optical filters in the midband of the eye.

These filters are used to make nature's most complex ultraviolet visual system, as described in my paper: http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2814%2900672-1

Haptosquilla trispinosa

A small mantis shrimp from Lizard Island, Austraila.

Hemisquilla californiensis uropod detail

A close up view of the colorful 'tail' of H. californiensis.