Characteristics

The mantis shrimp has false eyes, characteristic to this species, positioned on the tail for defensive purposes. It has an elongated body that in an adult specimen can reach a maximum length of 20 cm. The carapace is a white/greyish colour, with pink flecks. It has numerous appendices, some of which are used to move, while others are used to hunt and dig tunnels in the seabed to shelter during the day, whilst other appendages, that have a similar appearance to the prothoracic legs of the praying mantis arranged in reverse and equipped with long thorns, are used to catch prey.

Habitat

It is found in all of the Mediterranean, but mainly the Adriatic Sea. This species lives in burrows dug on sandy bottoms between 10-200 m, often near the mouths of rivers or canals. It is solitary and highly aggressive, not infrequently, it also attacks its own kind. The names with which it is called vary, depending on the dialect, from region to region, such as “canocia” in Veneto or in Friuli, “balestrin” or “sigà de maa” in Liguria, “pannocchia” in Abruzzo, “Cicala di mare” in Lazio, “cannocchiella” in Puglia, “cegala de mari” in Sicily, and so on.

Sources:

• http://www.chioggiapesca.it
• https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squilla_mantis
• http://ginux.univpm.it/didattica/dispense/bavestrello/zoologia/pagine/malacost.htm