Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 6- Crustaceans

6.5. Stomatopods
Stomatopoda (Family: Squilldae) derives its name from Latin which means "mouth foot". They are called as squilla, mantis shrimps, shrimp mummies, sea mantis, nurse shrimps, thump splitters, or thugs of crustaceandom. They are predatory crustaceans that live in the shallow waters of tropical and subtropical seas. These animals range in size from 1 - 2 cm to more than 35 cm and are one of the most aggressive and pugnacious of all animals. There are around 300 species under the order stomatopoda. Of these, 30 species are found to occur in India.