Prey Selection and Processing in a Stomatopod Crustacean

Abstract

Stomatopod crustacea constitute one of the most highly specialized groups of marine predators. Their greatly enlarged and highly modified second thoracopods provide them with the weaponry to subdue and process even the most active, armored, and/or dangerous prey (Caldwell and Dingle, 1976). Their sophisticated visual (Cronin and Marshall, 1989) and chemosensory (Caldwell and Lamp, 1981; Caldwell, 1982, 1985) systems permit the detection and identification of potential prey. And their learning ability allows them to benefit from previous experience gained feeding on different animals (Reaka, 1980; Full, et al., 1989). Here, I will: 1) briefly review the biology of stomatopods relevant to their foraging behavior; 2) discuss field studies on members of one genus, Gonodactylus, showing that stomatopods can have a considerable influence on the population structure, distribution and abundance of prey species; and 3) present laboratory data that demonstrate the ability of stomatopods to adjust their behavior in response to the costs and benefits associated with selecting different sized individuals of one prey species.