HELP: List of commercially available stomatopods

[Gonodactylus]

I really can't take the time any more to answer each and every question about different species of stomatopods that show up from suppliers. Therefore, I have decided to put together "Roy's List" which will provide basic information about species that I have seen being sold by suppliers. Evenually, I will try to pin photos to each description - if I can get someone to list that many images of suitable resolution.

Below I have given a sample entry. If you have comments about how I might improve it (different categories of information, etc), please let me know. Sorry about the formating. That can be fixed when I post it.

Thanks.

Roy


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Roy’s List of Commonly Available Stomatopods from Commercial Suppliers


Species: Pseudosquilla ciliata

Common names: False Mantis, Rainbow Mantis

Functional type: spearer

Range: tropical and sub-tropical waters except for the west coast of the Americas

Habitat: sandy bottoms, often near reefs, on reef flats or in grass beds

Depth: low intertidal to at least 50 m; more common in shallow waters

Home: burrower, digs shallow u-shaped burrows; juveniles live in cavities in live rock

Diet: generalist - small crustaceans, particularly shrimp, worms, small fish

Size: 20 – 95 mm

Color: variable; green, yellow, brown, black, cream. Can be one solid color, have a stripe running down the back, or a mottled appearance. Color and pattern often matches color of habitat. Will change color in the aquarium across molts depending onlighting a habitat color.

Distinguishing characters: checker board pattern on eyes

Activity: diurnal, closes burrow at night. Actively forages away from burrow

Aquarium requirements:

Temperature: 21 – 28 C
Salinity: 32-35 ppt
Cohabitants: will prey on small fish and shrimp; generally safe with gastropods and large crabs, shifts lots of sand digging so may bury coral
Aquarium: sand bottom, pvc pipe for burrow or can dig under rock

Suitability for Aquarium: excellent

Availability: occasionally available from Florida, Hawaii and Indo-Pacific, particularly from reef flat collectors

[MJI]

Roy:

As usual, being super helpful, and out of his way to help folk.

Above looks great to me Dr.

(PS: those cuttles were Bandensis, thanks for the use of your pic ;0) )

[LittlePuff]

Lookin' good!


Kim

[DensityMan]

Looks like you've covered everything that needs to be covered.

For the images it might be a good idea to post several, including a full body, meral spots and telson. That would make the guide even more useful to amateurs and hobbyists (such as myself). :D

In the absence of suitable photos, a description of these areas along with your color generalizations and distinguishing characteristics should help to clear up ID's.

[dave3d]

I have also seen P. Ciliata called "Racing Stripe Mantis" so you may want to add that to the list of common names. Other information that seems to be a common question would be tank size...so you may want to include that in the section for Aquarium Requirements. The rest looks great. Can't wait to see the others. Wish this type of info was available 6 months ago when I first got into Mantis Shrimp.

-David

[rwhhunt]

Pseudosquilla ciliata, Green color morph:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/rwhhunt/IMGP0459.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/rwhhunt/IMGP0467.jpg

[basicsafty]

I thought I would bring this thread back from the dead...

It would also probably be a good idea to give a minimum tank size guideline. While it is kind of subjective there have been a lot of threads asking about tank size. Maybe it will keep a little bit of clutter off of the first page. A general lighting guideline might help as well, although it is somewhat implied by depth.

[Gonodactylus]

The material is almost finished. I have listed the 27 species of stomatopods that I have seen available commercially. There are from two to six of my own images of each.

I have included my personal opinion on minimum tank size. As for lighting, that does depend on depth and water clarity in the natural habitat and I have so indicated.

Roy

[DensityMan]

Still looking forward to the list Roy. Thanks for putting the work into it.

(Beautiful shots of the green mantis above!)