Are Mantis Shrimp an Invasive Species

[Blue2u]

Just curious I here they have a nasty sting, but are the invasive here, we saw one once

[clambake 50]

I never seen them in Florida but they I hear are ferocious, and can take off your finger, some folk say you can eat them too

[kwtony]

Im pretty sure I pulled up up a mantis the other day while doing some repair work on underwater air curtains at a nearby resort...I freaked out and didnt even take a pic of it, i just threw the diffuser that it was clung on back in the water...i did find this little guy too...biggest one i caught all year.



These little guys are pretty cool too





If it actually was a mantis, i try to find another and ill be sure to take a photo...just gotta get over that super cavitation of the water they can do when they attack you... They are one of the most fascinating creatures out there...They have SIXTEEN color receptive cones in their eyes balls, I think we only need 3 to see all the colors of the rainbow. Thats not even the scary part...they have two raptorial appendages that can accelerate at the same speed as a .22....KAPOW!!!!....and in less then three thousands of a second they can strike a prew with 1500 newton tons of force...

[rhyne]

Mantis are such rad lil things... who pack one hell of a punch with that hammer claw... its been compared to the power of a .22 rifle.

https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/...mantis-shrimp/

[Shorediver]

Yes there are mantis shrimps in South Florida,I have found them in holes that they make in the sand.

[Marcus]

They're in Central Fl W coast as well. Yes, they make perfectly round holes in the sand.

[Chet]

I am sure there are different types of Mantis. I ate a bunch of them when I was in SE Asia. Very tasty critter, as sweet as California spiny lobster.

[Marcus]

I'd LOVE to have more of those around along w/ the tiger prawns, so long as they didn't F up the rest of the ecology.

[kmoose]

Here is one I scooped up while scalloping off Crystal River. I caught him away from his hole and got him with a little net. Yep, he was very tasty.

[kingfisherflesh]

There are mantis shrimp native to the keys for sure. Aquarium live rock "farmed" in S. Florida often has them as hitch hikers.

They can cause havoc in a home aquarium - but now people are searching for them through fresh FL live rock in other places in the country.

[stevemc1]

Yes there are many species in Florida and I am sure all over. Not invasive here. Just about anywhere you flip over flat rock they are there. They are very fast running. There are 2 types the cutter claw ones and the club claw type. Both will pop you but the cutters will cut you. The clubbers break open snails. The real big ones dig holes in the sand. They are cutters. Usually not near shore. The big ones can just about cut off your finger. A good sized big one will have a tail about as much meat as a just legal Florida lobster. They are thin but long. Good eating.