Has anyone seen their smasher use their spear?

[FLMantis]

Just watched both video for the first time today... Fastest claw and Ninja shrimp... And I agreed in another post Fastest Claw was incredible . Not really sure why i have never watched it before.

Back to my question, in slow motion you can see the spear of the peacock extend right after a hit. I have never seen either of my peacocks spear extended or in use. Maybe it extends after every hit, but to fast for my eyes?

Other then Dr. Roy of course . Has anyone seen that in their home aquarium?

Also Dr.Roy how often would they use that spear part? And is that how they kill fish? I have fish missing, so that could be the answer.

[gozermantis]

i saw one of my older peacocks open it once to clean in-between it but that was it..

[Kharn]

I have seen the opposite and quite often too!

My largest spearer leviathan the male L.mac when I feed him on a stick if he doesn't like what he sees/tastes he will not strike but do 'defensive swings' basically leaving the claw closed and used it as a smashing appendage.

I'll try and get a pic of it when I can

[gozermantis]

My old maculata did that also.

[Gonodactylus]

The strike mode is context dependent. Smashers feed typically by striking with a closed dactyl, but when fighting they may stab the opponent, particularly if they have a shot at a relatively non-armored part of the other stomatopod's body. Smashers also frequently stab when in defensive mode against fish or octopus (or your finger) - particularly if they are being held.

Spearers typically catch prey with an open dactyl, but almost all defensive strikes are with the dactyl closed. They will also strike with a closed dactyl when trying to break prey such as clams or when digging and encounter a hard obstacle.

See my 1976 Scientific American article, "Stomatopods".

ROy

[gozermantis]

I gotta check that out thanks Roy!

[FLMantis]

Thank you for the answer Dr. Roy and everyone else.

[TundraGuy]

Dr. Roy your the man!

[Dana42078]

Cant say i ever seen my G.T do that. Quite interesting tho!

[FLMantis]

Just dawned on me that's probably how they pull their dactyl out of the molt too... Always wonder how the dactyl molt stay in one completed piece...