Tiburon Mantis Shrimp, Squilla tiburonensis
Tiburon Mantis Shrimp, Squilla tiburonensis. Length: 10 cm (3.9 inches).
Phylogeny: The Tiburon Mantis Shrimp, Squilla tiburonensis (Schmitt, 1940), is a member of the Squillidae Family of Squillid Mantis Shrimp. The Squilla genus is one of forty-eight genera in the Squillidae Family, and there are twenty-two species in the Squilla genus. Mantis shrimps in this genus are spearing mantis shrimps, as compared to smashing mantis shrimps. They are known in Mexico as Estomatópodo de Tiburón. Both the family name Squillidae and the genus name Squilla come from both Greek and Latin and mean “prawn”, “shrimp”, “lobster”, or “sea onion”. This species is named for Tiburon Island in the Gulf of California. Mantis Shrimp derive their common name from the resemblance of their “arms” and stalked eyes to that of Praying Mantis insects.
Morphology: The Tiburon Mantis Shrimp is gray in color with varying amounts of brown blotching, with two black squarish blotches on the abdominal segments. The telson and uropods have yellowish margins and black tips. The legs and raptorial claws are white. The Tiburon Mantis Shrimp is characterized by T-shaped eyes with bi-lobed corneas and a well-developed, longitudinal, dorsal, carinae (keel). They have fixed, submedian teeth on a quadriform telson and rounded posterior angles on the carapace. They have 6 barbs on their second thoracic appendage (raptorial claw). Tiburon Mantis Shrimp reach a maximum of 15 cm (5.8 inches) in length.
Habitat and Distribution: Tiburon Mantis Shrimp are found on sand, in burrows or depressions, at depths between 5 m (16 feet) and 76 m (250 feet). The Tiburon Mantis Shrimp is ENDEMIC to Mexican waters of the Gulf of California ranging from Consag Rock, San Felipe, Baja California south to the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur.
Diet: Tiburon Mantis Shrimps are predatory carnivores. They capture their food by spearing it with their sharp raptorial claws. The available literature does not describe the diet of Tiburon Mantis Shrimps specifically, but other mantis shrimp in this genus prey on crabs, hermit crabs, fish, shrimp, worms, krill, and other mantis shrimps.
Predators: Predation of Tiburon Mantis Shrimps has not been documented, however other mantis shrimp in this genus are preyed upon by fish (including the Yellow Snapper, Lutjanus argentiventris), octopuses, cuttlefish, rays, sharks, and squid.
Reproduction: Tiburon Mantis Shrimps are gonochoric (male or female for life). Reproduction is sexual with fertilization occurring internally. Very little is known about Tiburon Mantis Shrimp mating behavior. Within this genus mating behavior varies from monogamous to promiscuous. Males use sperm ducts rather than spermatophores to inseminate the female. Females can brood tens of thousands of eggs and they incubate the eggs in their burrows. The eggs hatch into planktonic larva which, after a few months, metamorphose into their adult form.
Ecosystem Interactions: The interspecies relationships between Tiburon Mantis Shrimps and other species has not been documented. Some mantis shrimps are parasitized by small gastropods and worms. It is unknown if these Mantis Shrimp share their burrow with other species.
Human Interactions: Tiburon Mantis Shrimps are often collected as by-catch by shrimp trawlers and represent a modest commercial fishery. Otherwise, they have limited direct impact on human activities. From a conservation perspective the Tiburon Mantis Shrimp has not been formally evaluated, but they are common, with a wide distribution, and should be consider to be of Least Concern.
Synonyms: None
Caution: The second pair of thoracic appendages of the Tiburon Mantis Shrimp are sharp and inflict serious lacerations if not handled carefully.