moviegeek
03/19/2001, 11:12 PM
Dear Adam,
Odontodactylus scyllarus are fairly unusual stomatopods in that females will mate any time in the reproductive and molt cycles. Males will mate pretty much any time except when nearing a molt. As near as we can tell (there have yet to be any good field studies of this species), they do not pair or form a pair bond. They will sometimes stay in the same burrow in the lab and I have kept a male and female together for days and even weeks. However, this is courting disaster. At some point, they will fight and this can be fatal. I would suggest that you separate them most of time except when mating. We use plastic egg crate in the lab as dividers. The stomatopods eventually break through it, but that often takes days or even weeks and at least it keeps them entertained and more importantly, exercises their raptorial appendages. We have found that if animals don't spend a fair amount of time striking (breaking snails, clams, etc,), they often lose one or both raptorial appendages when molting. This usually occurs after they have been in the lab for a year or two, but it then takes three molts to regenerate the appendage. For this reason, I try to give our animals snails or clams as often as possible.
Many of our females lay eggs every couple of months. They hatch after about two weeks, but we have had no success rearing the planktonic larvae. Still, a female caring for her bright pink eggs presents lots of good photo opportunities. To get a female to lay, you have to mate her several times and really pour the food to her. Just as when molting, a few days prior to laying, you will notice lots of digging and burrow construction activity. She will start to pile rocks and coral in front of the burrow entrance and eventually will partially seal the entrance. We see the same thing in the field. Such activity is a sure sign of either an approaching molt or oviposition. Also, animals become aggressive at this time and are more likely to fight, so be careful keeping them together. Hope this helps.
Roy
*************************************************
Roy L. Caldwell, Professor
Department of Integrative Biology #3140
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-3140
At 11:28 AM 12/30/00 , you wrote:
Dr. Caldwell,
I was referred to you by the Lurker's Guide to Stomatopods website. I have been caring for a 6" Odontodactylus scyllarus female for the past 6 months. Yesterday I obtained a 7" Odontodactylus scyllarus male. I am wondering about the chances of getting them to mate and/or pair bond. My understanding is that mantis can recognize individuals. Do any mantis mate for life?
The pair are currently housed together in the same 20 gallon acrylic tank. I built a temporary egg crate and PVC divider to separate the two. They can see/smell each other.
I want to either remove the barrier and let the two mix, or permanently install a black acrylic panel between the two.
By the way, I just started a Mantis Message Board as part of my website. Please stop by some time and be our celebrity guest!
Thanks,
Adam Jones
*************************************************
Roy L. Caldwell, Professor
Department of Integrative Biology #3140
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-3140
Odontodactylus scyllarus are fairly unusual stomatopods in that females will mate any time in the reproductive and molt cycles. Males will mate pretty much any time except when nearing a molt. As near as we can tell (there have yet to be any good field studies of this species), they do not pair or form a pair bond. They will sometimes stay in the same burrow in the lab and I have kept a male and female together for days and even weeks. However, this is courting disaster. At some point, they will fight and this can be fatal. I would suggest that you separate them most of time except when mating. We use plastic egg crate in the lab as dividers. The stomatopods eventually break through it, but that often takes days or even weeks and at least it keeps them entertained and more importantly, exercises their raptorial appendages. We have found that if animals don't spend a fair amount of time striking (breaking snails, clams, etc,), they often lose one or both raptorial appendages when molting. This usually occurs after they have been in the lab for a year or two, but it then takes three molts to regenerate the appendage. For this reason, I try to give our animals snails or clams as often as possible.
Many of our females lay eggs every couple of months. They hatch after about two weeks, but we have had no success rearing the planktonic larvae. Still, a female caring for her bright pink eggs presents lots of good photo opportunities. To get a female to lay, you have to mate her several times and really pour the food to her. Just as when molting, a few days prior to laying, you will notice lots of digging and burrow construction activity. She will start to pile rocks and coral in front of the burrow entrance and eventually will partially seal the entrance. We see the same thing in the field. Such activity is a sure sign of either an approaching molt or oviposition. Also, animals become aggressive at this time and are more likely to fight, so be careful keeping them together. Hope this helps.
Roy
*************************************************
Roy L. Caldwell, Professor
Department of Integrative Biology #3140
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-3140
At 11:28 AM 12/30/00 , you wrote:
Dr. Caldwell,
I was referred to you by the Lurker's Guide to Stomatopods website. I have been caring for a 6" Odontodactylus scyllarus female for the past 6 months. Yesterday I obtained a 7" Odontodactylus scyllarus male. I am wondering about the chances of getting them to mate and/or pair bond. My understanding is that mantis can recognize individuals. Do any mantis mate for life?
The pair are currently housed together in the same 20 gallon acrylic tank. I built a temporary egg crate and PVC divider to separate the two. They can see/smell each other.
I want to either remove the barrier and let the two mix, or permanently install a black acrylic panel between the two.
By the way, I just started a Mantis Message Board as part of my website. Please stop by some time and be our celebrity guest!
Thanks,
Adam Jones
*************************************************
Roy L. Caldwell, Professor
Department of Integrative Biology #3140
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-3140