Viewed from the left, the scissor-like claws and thick armor plating make this mighty shrimp (oxymoron?) a formidable opponent to both prey and predator. The coloration scheme is termed "aposematic" meaning "conspicuous" and "serving to warn". Though normally nocturnal hunters, these shrimp are so brightly colored they are easily spotted during their occasional daytime forays, scurrying along the edges of coral heads from one hiding place to another. identification: Odontodactylus scyallarus back to mantis shrimp intro page                                                       back to Gallery II