ID Needed

[Koshmar]

Ok...It's been a long road to figure this out. First off I would like to thank everyone that will contribute to the identification of this mantis shrimp. Now for the facts and with pics! This specimen was first labled by my lfs as "red peacock mantis shrimp". When I inquired about why it did not look like a peacock, the owner of the shop said that it was simply a color morph or something along those lines. Obviously it is not a peacock. In another thread, Roy, in his infinite knowledge of stomatopods (no sarcasm he really seems to be that good), limited it down to a gontadyctle type based on the first three pics. I now have 4 new quality images which should allow for better identification. I had to capture the M.S. and transport it to a plastic fish bowl for about 5 minutes to capture these pics. Needless to say I don't want to put the animal through any more stress so if you have any questions about length, color, behavior, ect... I will provide it but pics will be limited now that the M.S. is back in its proper home.
Sooo. Here ya go!

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisraps001-1.jpg


http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisraps003.jpg

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisraps002.jpg

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisshrimp001.jpg

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisshrimp002.jpg

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisshrimp003.jpg

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisshrimp004.jpg

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/rr277/Koshmar_photos/mantisshrimp005-1.jpg

[TrappedMetal]

Gonodactylus chiragra from those photos. im presuming there are no red intersegmental lines, and there is no red knob on the base of the uropods.

[Koshmar]

Thank you TrappedMetal.

It does make a lot of sense because the "meral spot"( I'm assuming that is the patch of color on the inside of the raps, sorry I don't know that much about M.S. anatomy yet) is white. At first I took it for a sign of an incomplete molt or something. I guess I was concerned over a meral spot... sad on my part. Anyway if you tell me what to look for on the parts concerning the intersegmental lines and the uropods, I would be more than happy to give that information. I'm going to brush up on stomatopod anatomy in the mean time.

[TrappedMetal]

the white meral spot says its definatly a chiragra. red lines and red knob on the uropod would be a smithii but that has a purple meral spot.
DEFINATLY a gonodactylus chiragra - http://www.mantisshrimps.co.uk/care/chiragra.php

[justinl]

yup G. chiragra it is then

[Koshmar]

Thank you Trapped Metal!
Now I know what this little guy.. or gal is. I feel a real sense of closure in my quest for truth. oooooh my little buddy just took a snail into its burrow to eat. So cute... I thank everyone who contributed in any way to this id. I think its a male because of the coloration but then again the whole issue of coloration got me into confusion in the first place. Oh well the important part is done. Thanks again!

[TrappedMetal]

id guess at female actually.

[Koshmar]

How can you tell? I noticed that the pleopods where fluffy and covered in a layer of what looked like cotton. Is that a feature of a female?

[TrappedMetal]

No.
In Gonodactylus chiragra, females are lighter. Males have a set of Gonopods after the third set of legs that hang down, they look like two little black sticks.