Nannosquilla decemspinosa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nannosquilla decemspinosa | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Stomatopoda |
| Family: | Nannosquillidae |
| Genus: | Nannosquilla |
| Species: | N. decemspinosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Nannosquilla decemspinosa (Rathbun, 1910) | |
Nannosquilla decemspinosa is a species of long-bodied, short-legged mantis shrimp. It lives in shallow sandy areas along the Pacific coast of Central and South America.
It is most well known because when stranded by a low tide the 3 cm stomatopod lies on its back and performs backwards somersaults over and over. The animal moves up to 2 meters at a time by rolling 20-40 times, with speeds of around 72 revolutions per minute - 1.5 body lengths per second (3.5 cm/s). Researchers estimate that the stomatopod acts as a true wheel around 40% of the time during this series of rolls. The remaining 60% of the time it has to "jumpstart" a roll by using its body to thrust itself upwards and forwards.[1][2][3]