Odontodactylus scyllarus Linnaeus 1758

mantis shrimp

Mantis shrimp, Odontactyllus scyllarus, have beautifully coloured posterior appendages. The bodies of adult females are usually brownish whilst the males are bright green.
They have very large and complex eyes and are believed to have excellent colour vision.
They are renowned for the strength of their front claws and can smash their way out of fish tanks. Mantis shrimp build burrows from small pieces of rock, coral or shell.
The mantis shrimp diet consists of worms, fish, crustaceans and molluscs.