Common name : Harlequin mantis shrimp,
Painted mantis shrimp, Clown mantis shrimp
Scientific name : Odontodactylus scyllarus
Family : Odontodactylidae
Native to : Indo-Pacific Oceans
Interesting fact : They have a complex visionand are able to see ultraviolet, polarized and regular light.
Conservation status : Not Evaluated
With beautiful peacock colours, this shrimp is found burrowing U-shaped holes near coral reefs. It can grow 3-18 cm long. The male has a green and blue exoskeleton while the female has a red one. This extremely territorial crustacean uses its club-shaped raptorial appendages to smash its prey like gastropods, crustaceans and bivalves. Reproduction is by internal fertilization. Its lifespan is 15-20 years.
