Mantis Shrimp




     Joe Sugura and two of his friends just got back from Water Cay Lodge on Grand Bahama Island. They had a great trip with lots of bones including some big bones (up to 27 inches at the fork). Joe also hooked (albeit briefly) an approximately 18 lb. permit, but what was really cool was what a large bonefish disgorged when he landed it. Apparently, the bonefish had eaten, but not completely swallowed this shrimp and it was disgorged virtually intact. I think this is a tan or cream mantis shrimp. If someone knows differently, please let me know.


     In all the years I have been bonefishing, I rarely see mantis shrimp on the flats and I have seen only one other mantis shrimp actually inside the gut of a bonefish. In the stomach of almost all of the shark-killed bonefish that I have examined, I have seen mostly tan crabs and the rare worm or tiny shrimp (less than one inch). I did see in a big bone's stomach what I thought to be an olive mantis shrimp on Abaco many years ago. It was fairly well digested so it was hard to say for certain what it was. 
     This photo of the mantis shrimp makes the old adage "any color will work in the Bahamas as long as it is tan" resonate a bit more eh?!!  



     Also look at the fly in the bone's mouth. It's not hard too see why he jumped on it after his snack of mantis shrimp! 
     Thanks Joe for taking the photo and passing it on!! This info should generate some interesting patterns!