Eyes, Antennae, and Appendages: Defining the dimensions of the mantis shrimp "strike zone"

Stomatopoda, or mantis shrimp, are a group of crustaceans that possess a uniquely powerful latch-and-spring predatory strike. Using a modified pair of maxillipeds referred to as the raptorial appendages, this ballistic movement can reach incredible speeds. The goal of this thesis was to quantify the sensory parameters required for an animal to target and release a strike. Distances and angles between an artificial target (bead on fishing line) and various anatomical structures (eyes, antennae, and the raptorial appendage club) were calculated from high speed video recordings of mantis shrimp striking at the target. These data were then used to generate a two-dimensional map of a "strike zone" or discrete area of space in front of the animal in which a target has the highest probability of eliciting a strike. Impermanent monocular occlusion treatments were used to assess the role of vision in calculating the strike zone position and timing. This study provides insight into the type of sensory information required for mantis shrimp to precisely target their ballistic strike.