MANTIS

Mantis shrimps/Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp) or stomatopods, are marine crustaceans of the order Stomatopoda. Some species have specialised calcified "clubs" which can strike with great power, others have sharp forelimbs used to capture prey. Mantis shrimps branched from other members of the class Malacostraca around 400 million years ago.

Mantis shrimp /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp), are long-lived and exhibit complex behaviour, such as ritualised fighting.

Mantis shrimp /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp) are abundant in the coastal regions of south Vietnam, known in Vietnamese as tôm tít or "ban chai".

In Japanese cuisine, the Mantis shrimp /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp), species Oratosquilla oratoria, called shako, is eaten boiled as a sushi topping, and occasionally, raw as sashimi.

In Cantonese cuisine, the mantis shrimp /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp) is known as "pissing shrimp” because of their tendency to shoot a jet of water when picked up. After cooking, Mantis shrimps /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp) flesh is closer to that of lobsters than that of shrimp, and like lobsters, their shells are quite hard and require some pressure to crack. Usually Mantis shrimps /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp) are deep fried with garlic and chili peppers.

In the Philippines, the mantis shrimp /Shako /蝦蛄 (Squilla spp),  is known as tatampal, hipong-dapa, or alupihang-dagat, and is cooked and eaten like any other shrimp. The Mantis shrimp /Shako /蝦蛄 ( Squilla spp), can be steamed, boiled, grilled or dried; used with pepper, salt, and lime; fish sauce and tamarind; or fennel.