Gonodactylidae Family of Mantis Shrimp

One Mantis Shrimp of the Gonodactylidae Family can be found in this website:

Langosta Mantis Shrimp, Neogonodactylus oerstedii. A representative of the Gonodactylidae Family of Mantis Shrimp.

Phylogeny: Mantis Shrimp of the Gonodactylidae Family are in the Arthropoda phylum and the Crustacea subphylum. This means that they have jointed legs, a hard exoskeleton, two pairs of antennae, a pair of mandibles, a pair of compound eyes (usually on stalks), and two pair of maxillae on their heads. They are in the superclass Multicrustacea of true crustaceans. They are in the order Stomatopoda, which are characterized by having an elongate, flattened body, a short carapace, and a long abdomen with specialized appendages. They are primarily known for the powerful raptorial claws and specialized compound eyes. They are in the suborder Unipeltata, which contains eight superfamilies. The superfamily Gonodactyloidea contains seven families. The Family Gonodactylidae contains nine genera and sixty-seven species. The name Gonodactylidae comes from the Greek words for knee and finger. It refers to the knee-like knob at the base of the raptorial appendage. Species in this family are also commonly called Gonodactylids.

Morphology: Gonodactylid Mantis Shrimp have dorsoventrally flattened bodies which are divided into three segments- head, thorax, and abdomen. The head and thorax are  combined as a cephalothorax. Gonodactylid Mantis Shrimp have 5 head segments, 8 thoracic segments, and 6 abdominal segments. The carapace covers the head and first four segments of the thorax. Four pairs of the thoracic appendages are subchelate (pincer-like) and are used for handling food and for burrowing. The last three pairs are used for walking. Gonodactylid Mantis Shrimp are smashers. They have have a thickened portion at the “elbow” of the raptorial appendage and they strike hard shelled prey with a force equal to that of a small caliber bullet. This force breaks the shell and usually kills their prey instantly. The speed at which stomatopods move this second appendage is among the fastest movement of any animal, often completing the action in five to eight milliseconds.   The uropods and telson comprise the tail fan. Like other mantis shrimps they have eyes that are among the most complex in the animal kingdom that can see the full range of visible light colors, as well as ultraviolet and polarized light. The Stomatopods have 15 classes of photoreceptors; humans have four classes. These mantis shrimp may have dull or bright coloration and they may have solid, striped, or mottled color patterns. Gonodactylids range from 2.5 cm (1.0 inch) to 38 cm (15 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Gonodactylids may be found in their burrows in rocky substrates or in self-dug burrows in soft substrates. They live in the intertidal zone and to depths of 424 m (1,391 feet). Gonodactylid Mantis Shrimp are found worldwide in subtropical and tropical waters. Ten species of the Gonodactylidae Family are found in Mexican waters.

Reproduction: Gonodactylid Mantis Shrimp are gonochoric (male or female for life) and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. The female broods the eggs, either in her burrow or attached to the underside of her body, until they hatch into a planktonic larval stage.

Ecosystem Roles: Gonodactylids may be nocturnal or diurnal and feed primarily on crustaceans, and mollusks. In turn they are preyed upon by fish and octopuses.