Lysiosquilllidae Family of  Mantis Shrimp

Maning Striped Mantis Shrimp, Lysiosquilla manningi. A representative example of the Lysiosquillidae Family of Mantis Shrimp.

Phylogeny: Lysiosquillid Mantis Shrimps of the Lysiosquillidae Family are in the phylum Arthropoda. They are in the subphylum Crustacea, the superclass Multicrustacea, the class Malacostraca, the subclass Hoplocarida, the order Stomatopoda, the suborder Unipeltata, and the superfamily Lysiosquilloidea. The Lysiosquillidae Family is one of four families in this superfamily. The Lysiosquillidae Family  contains two genera and twenty species. Mantis Shrimps are named for the resemblance of their “arms” and stalked eyes to that of Praying Mantis insects. Mantis Shrimp Stomatopods are separated into two categories based on the second pair of thoracic appendages – Spearers and Smashers. Spearers have barbed appendages that they use to spear soft prey such as fish. Smashers have a thickened portion at the “elbow” of the 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.  Lysiosquillidae Mantis Shrimp are spearers. The name Lysiosquillidae comes from a combination of Greek and Latin words meaning “loosening shrimp”. This refers to these shrimps ability to quickly dismember their prey. Species in this family are often referred to as Banded, Lizard or Zebra Mantis Shrimp.

Morphology:  Lysiosquillidae Mantis Shrimps are characterized by T-shaped eyes with bi-lobed corneas. Their bodies are smooth, lacking any dorsal ridges or carinae. Their last three maxillipeds (thoracic appendages) are broader than they are long, and are beaded on the ventral surface. The boss (raised, rounded portion of the dorsal surface of the telson), is low. Their raptorial claw is large and slender.  Lysiosquillids have 5 head segments, 8 thoracic segments, and 6 abdominal segments. The head and thorax are usually combined as a cephalothorax. The head includes a pair of antennae, a pair of antennules, and mouth parts. These animals have stomachs with 2 chambers. The next four pairs of thoracic appendages are subchelate (pincer-like) and are used for handling food and for burrowing. The last three pairs are used for walking. 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. Some have the ability to generate a fluorescent display that is used to signal others of their kind, and, perhaps, other species. The uropods and telson comprise the tail fan. Lysiosquillidae Mantis Shrimps range in size from 1.0 cm (0.4 inches) to 48 cm (18 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution:  Lysiosquillidae Mantis Shrimps are generally found on sand, mud, rocks, and gravel. They reside in “U”-shaped burrows in soft-substrate, or under rocks on soft substrate. Some species can form pelagic swarms. They range from the intertidal zone to depths up to around 150 m (492 feet).  Lysiosquillids are found worldwide, in tropical to subtropical waters. At least three species from the Lysiosquillidae Family are found in  Mexican waters.

Reproduction: Lysiosquillidae Mantis Shrimps are gonochoric (either male or female for life). They reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. While mating and brooding the males and females share a burrow. The males assist the females by bringing them food. Females may lay up to 50,000 eggs. The females broods the eggs inside their burrow, or she carries the fertilized eggs on her front appendages (maxillipeds) keeping them clean and oxygenated. The eggs hatch into a planktonic larvae before they settle to the bottom and metamorphose into their adult form. Some species of Mantis Shrimps are monogamous, sharing the same burrow with their partner for more than twenty years.

Ecosystem Roles: Lysiosquillidae Mantis Shrimps may be nocturnal or diurnal predators. They feed on cnidarians, crustaceans, fish, and mollusks. In turn they are preyed upon by octopus and fish such as groupers, snappers, moray eels, triggerfish, pufferfish, tuna, and sharks.