The perils of being a stomatopod.

Gonodactylus · 06/03/2015, 04:31 PM

This morning I shot some video of an adult O. scyllarus molting. Behavioral changes (increased aggression and a lot of excavation) along with sutures appearing on the 6,7 and 8th thoracic tergites suggested that she would molt in a day or so. I put her in an aquarium with a cut away burrow and checked on her periodically. This morning when I came to the lab, I found her on her side with the sutures almost split. I quickly set up a camera and lights and started recording expecting here to complete the molt in the usual 5 minutes or so. Things did not go as I had hoped. Some shell rot had developed around an old wound on her carapace and the molt looked like me trying to get out of a wetsuit. It took over an hour. I've cut together about 5 minutes of the molting process. You can see the tergites split, the antennal scales pull out, and the use of the antennules to free the head and mouth appendages.

Roy

https://youtu.be/m3c9iKhR8Uw

Nina51 · 06/03/2015, 05:20 PM

that is the coolest thing i've seen in a long time! i recently got my first mantis and this really helps to know what to look for.

thanks for posting.

Calappidae · 06/03/2015, 09:15 PM

lol, I like how you can hear her neighbor hitting something.

Must be difficult to get some sleep while in the lab.

06/03/2015, 04:31 PM	#1
Gonodactylus Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Berkeley, CA, USA Posts: 5,024	The perils of being a stomatopod. This morning I shot some video of an adult O. scyllarus molting. Behavioral changes (increased aggression and a lot of excavation) along with sutures appearing on the 6,7 and 8th thoracic tergites suggested that she would molt in a day or so. I put her in an aquarium with a cut away burrow and checked on her periodically. This morning when I came to the lab, I found her on her side with the sutures almost split. I quickly set up a camera and lights and started recording expecting here to complete the molt in the usual 5 minutes or so. Things did not go as I had hoped. Some shell rot had developed around an old wound on her carapace and the molt looked like me trying to get out of a wetsuit. It took over an hour. I've cut together about 5 minutes of the molting process. You can see the tergites split, the antennal scales pull out, and the use of the antennules to free the head and mouth appendages. Roy https://youtu.be/m3c9iKhR8Uw

06/03/2015, 05:20 PM	#2
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	that is the coolest thing i've seen in a long time! i recently got my first mantis and this really helps to know what to look for. thanks for posting. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

06/03/2015, 09:15 PM	#3
Calappidae Harlequin Shrimp Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Somewhere Posts: 3,814	lol, I like how you can hear her neighbor hitting something. Must be difficult to get some sleep while in the lab. __________________ Joe