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Species: Odontodactylus japonicus

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Click on any image to see an enlargement. All photos © 2009 Roy Caldwell.

Common name: None

Functional type: Smasher

Range: Indo-West Pacific, from western Indian Ocean to Australia and Japan

Habitat: Level sandy or shelly substrates

Depth: 30–100 m

Home: Simple u-shaped burrows lined and covered with rubble

Diet: Generalist; crustaceans, gastropods, may take fish

Size: 2–17 cm

Color: Body of males salmon; females with a greenish tint on the abdomen; antennal scales white dorsally with purple and orange ventrally and bright red setae on trailing edge; uropods yellow with red setae; brown patches on anterior carapace

Distinguishing Characters: Brown patches on anterior carapace; leading edge of antennal scale without setae; males fluoresce green in blue light, raptorial dactyl with 5-8 teeth

Activity: Diurnal, swims in the water column more than most stomatopods, build burrows from rubble and sand digging incessantly

Aquarium Requirements:

Temperature: 22–28° C

Salinity: 33–36 PSU

Cohabitants: Most aquarium animals including fish are not safe with large adults

Aquarium size (adult): 80 l

Aquarium substrate: Mixture of sand and gravel with lots of various sized pieces of rubble

Suitability for Aquarium: Excellent; largest animals (> 13 cm) can break or chip glass; they dig constantly and will rearrange landscaping; active swimmers that can jump

Availability: Rare, but recently several have been exported from Sri Lanka

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External Anatomy and Explanatory Notes