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Species: Neogonodactylus oerstedii

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Click on any image to see an enlargement. All photos © 2005 Roy Caldwell.

Common name: Rock Mantis Shrimp, split-thumb

Functional type: Smasher

Range: Caribbean, Florida to Curacao and Panama

Habitat: Reef and grass flats, coral reefs

Depth: Low intertidal to 20 m; usually shallow

Home: Cavities in coralline algae, coral rubble, live coral, urchin tests, gastropod shells

Diet: Generalist, crustaceans and gastropods

Size: 7–70 mm

Color: Variable; green, brown, cream, solid to mottled; meral spot purple (darker in males)

Distinguishing Characters: Purple meral spot; females with small black dots over body

Activity: Diurnal

Aquarium Requirements:

Temperature: 22–29° C

Salinity: 33–36 PSU

Cohabitants: Will eat small crustacean and gastropods

Aquarium size (adult): 20 l

Aquarium substrate: Sand and gravel, coral rubble, LR, cavity

Suitability for Aquarium: Excellent; hardy and active

Availability: Occasionally found as a hitchhiker in shipments of LR from Florida; commercially available from collectors in the Florida Keys; easily collected from exposed reef flats throughout the Florida Keys and Caribbean

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External Anatomy and Explanatory Notes