Lysiosquilla spinosa

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Lysiosquilla spinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Stomatopoda
Family: Lysiosquillidae
Genus: Lysiosquilla
Species: L. spinosa
Binomial name
Lysiosquilla spinosa
(Wood-Mason, 1875)

Lysiosquilla spinosa, or New Zealand mantis shrimp, is a mantis shrimp of the family Lysiosquillidae, endemic to New Zealand. It is found from mid-tide to below low tide in firm mudflats around New Zealand and neighbouring islands, building extensive deep vertical burrows in which it spends most of its time, emerging at night to forage for food.

The carapace which covers the front part of the body is short and does not completely cover the region of the walking legs as it does in the true shrimps. The second pair of legs which, at rest, are held flexed like the first legs of the praying mantis (an insect), are used in exactly the same way.

Coloration is light and dark brown alternatively on each segment, with females also having a broad dull-red band down the middle of the back.

Maximum length is about 75 mm.

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