Oratosquilla oratoria
Encyclopedia
Oratosquilla oratoria is a species
of mantis shrimp
found in the Western Pacific. It is widely harvested in Japan
where it is known as shako (シャコ) and eaten as sushi
. Like other members of its order it has a powerful spear, which it uses to hunt invertebrate
s and small fish
. It grows to a length of 185 millimetres (7.3 in), and lives at depths of 10–100 m (32.8–328.1 ).
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, the members of the order Stomatopoda. They are neither shrimp nor mantids, but receive their name purely from the physical resemblance to both the terrestrial praying mantis and the shrimp. They may reach in length, although exceptional cases of...
found in the Western Pacific. It is widely harvested in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
where it is known as shako (シャコ) and eaten as sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
. Like other members of its order it has a powerful spear, which it uses to hunt invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s and small fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. It grows to a length of 185 millimetres (7.3 in), and lives at depths of 10–100 m (32.8–328.1 ).