Stomatopod Taxonomy

• carapace shallow, leaving 4 thoracic somites uncovered. Two moveable somites in head, bearing stalked eyes and the antennules. Second thoracic limbs form massive grasping organs. Abdomen large, with large pleopods bearing branchial filaments. Translation: Its carapace is much shorter than that in lobsters or shrimps, which makes its rear part look much longer. The second large pair of "legs" are massively developed. It has respiratory organs in its abdominal region (on the "swimmerets"), unlike others where these are in the thoracic region.

This order has been recently reclassified in 1995 by Manning into 5 superfamilies, 19 families, and 109 genera. Here's a peek at the newer classification. The old classification had the more than 350 living species known at the time segregated into 4 families:

1. Family Squillidae
   • the telson has a median carina and has more than four denticles between the large marginal teeth. This family contains over 100 species in 14 genera; most species are 2-20 cm long, but Harpiosquilla grow to 33 cm. e.g. Squilla, Oratosquilla.
     1. Oratosquilla interrupta (external link-Chinese)
     2. Squilla empusa (external link!)
     3. Squilla mantis (external link-Italian) <---- dead Squilla specimens.
     4. Squilla mikado (external link-Chinese)
2. Family Lysiosquillidae
   • the telson lacks a medium carina and the propodi of the last three maxillipeds are broad and are beaded or ribbed ventrally. Most are soft-bodied, loosely articulated forms living in burrows in soft mud or sand. Size ranges from 2 cm in Nannosquilla to 27 cm or more in Lysiosquilla.
     1. Lysiosquilla scabricaud (external link-Portuguese)
3. Family Gonodactylidae
   • the telson has a median carina and has no more than two denticles between the marginal teeth. These are usually found in shallow tropical waters. e.g. Gonodactylus, Hemisquilla, Pseudosquilla.
     1. Gonodactylus platysoma
     2. Gonodactylus smithii
     3. Hemisquilla ensigera
     4. Neogonodactylus oerstedii (Gonodactylus oerstedii)
     5. Odontodactylus scyllarus
4. Family Bathysquillidae
   • the telson has a median carina and all four pairs of marginal teeth of the telson have movable tips. Has one genus, and two species, both of which are large and occur at depths to 1300 m.

Terms to Remember:

• carapace-a sheet of cuticle extending back from the head to enclose the dorsal and lateral parts of the thorax; the 'shell' of a crab
• carina-keel-like ridge or prominence
• maxillipeds-paired appendages modified for feeding on 1st, up to 3rd, thoracic somites, usually fused to cephalon.
• pleopod-swimming appendage of the abdomen
• propodi-a second segment of a pereiopod or maxilliped, counted from the distal end.
• somites-division of body (head, thorax, abdomen) with exoskeleton comprising body-ring that is generally divisible into
  dorsal (tergite) and ventral (sternite) portions.
• telson- the terminal part of the body which bears the anus; it articulates with the last (6th) abdominal segment.
• back to top....

*from Crustacean Biodiversity Survey

Introduction | Taxonomy |References | Researchers | Care & Rearing | Pest Control | Stomatopod Logs | Stomatopod Pics | Search Site | External Links