Clean Ocean Advocate, June 2007
April’s Creature Feature was the Mantis Shrimp. Although it is neither a shrimp nor a praying mantis, the Mantis Shrimp has taken the best features of both of these creatures to create one “super-predator” that can swim quickly through the water with its shrimp-like segmented body and paddle-shaped legs, while it efficiently slashes at prey using its praying mantis-like folding front legs. Fishermen call them “shrimp snappers” because their strong jack-knife claws can cut right through your hand with one quick slash. Found everywhere from the shallow bay to the deep ocean, these stomatopods hunt for crab, fish, shrimp and even each other! Congratulations to Joe Nardone of Monmouth Beach for being chosen among the correct entries for the Mantis Shrimp.
June Creature: Hey look! It’s an ancient bowl that washed-up from a shipwreck…or is it? These mud collars are actually a mass of eggs that are pressed together with sand particles and mucus. What very common sea creature forms these structures? Hint: it is fun to look for them by the light of the “moon”. To enter for a chance to win a COA T-shirt, send your guess for the June Creature by mail, fax, or e-mail (PO Box 505, Sandy Hook, NJ 07732; FAX 732-872-8041; Education@CleanOceanAction.org).
(Coastal Creature Feature appears every other month in the Clean Ocean Advocate.)
