It’s almost Valentine’s Day! The perfect time to highlight a red ocean critter: the red rock shrimp or Lysmata californica. In Southern California, the red rock shrimp plays an important cleaning role, removing parasites from moray eels and California spiny lobsters. Parasite removal doesn’t sound like a great gig, but it’s not so bad if… [read more]
Better photo of the mantis shrimp
I got lucky and happened to catch the mantis shrimp out of his burrow. This photo gives you a little bit better idea of what he looks like. Check out the royal blue legs, no tights necessary! He’s definitely not shy about checking me out either, but with his “hammer arm,” I guess he doesn’t… [read more]