A review of the fisheries biology of the mantis shrimp, Squilla mantis (L., 1758) (Stomatopoda, Squillidae) in the Mediterranean

Fisheries of Squilla mantis are found in the Mediterranean mostly in the vicinity of major river mouths. The life cycle of this species is well known: the spawning period is concentrated from winter to spring and planktonic larvae are found in summer, with the settlement of post-larvae occurring from the end of summer to mid-autumn. Recruitment to the fishery starts in late autumn, with full recruitment being reached between January and May. The population at sea consists of 3 year-classes and the life span is estimated at about 3 years. The mantis shrimp is a benthic species, strongly related to bottom sediments, as demonstrated by its burrowing behaviour and by the composition of its diet. The species shows also a territorial pattern of behaviour. A marked seasonality in the catches can be recognized, whereby catches are obtained mainly in the winter and spring months. The population structure varies seasonally due to the incorporation of recruits (winter-spring) and the disappearance of adults (summer-autumn). The fishery is mainly based on the exploitation of a single cohort constituted by the recruits of the previous year, and is highly recruitment-dependent. The levels of the catches have remained fairly constant in the 1990's due to the high resource turnover of the species. The facts that egg-bearing females do not exit their burrow during incubation, catchability is lower during day-time, and trawling is not permitted shallower than 50 m in the Mediterranean may protect this species from fishing.